Al-Azhar tunnel, a major thoroughfare in central Cairo, will be closed on Thursday at 10pm for maintenance work and will reopen on Friday at 10am, according to Cairo's governor. 

Previous reports had suggested that the closure was a precautionary measure ahead of large anti-government protests due to take place on Friday. Increased security measures have been taken in response to the protests, organised by the Salafist Front. 

The 2.6km Azhar tunnel is the longest in Cairo, with thousands of cars passing through every day.