The railway authority should be ahead of the keenest state bodies to be at the service of citizens, especially with regard to upgrading the railway system, Minister of Transport Kamel El-Wazir said.

El-Wazir made the remarks during a field tour on Wednesday to inspect locomotive maintenance and overhaul workshops and the daily preparations of air-conditioned train carriages and sleeping cars.

Following up the progress made in a project to establish special workshops for the new Spanish high-speed trains, which is 98 percent complete, the minister emphasized that all trains must undergo necessary technical checkups before their trips.

During an expanded meeting with railway workers, technicians and engineers, El-Wazir said that the railway sector's main goal during the current period is to implement a five-point upgrade plan, which includes modernizing the fleet of mobile units and improving railroad infrastructure.

The plan also involves upgrading railway signaling systems for higher safety, improving workshops and supplying them with modern equipment, and making use of foreign experts to transfer their knowledge to local workers and technicians, he added.

El-Wazir also cited presidential directives to avoid operating any old carriages by the end of 2021, noting that only new or upgraded cars are to be used after that date.