CAIRO: A total of 29 families have been relocated from a potentially risky area under and on top of a massive rock in Duweika, a slum on Mokattam hills in the outskirts of Cairo, Youm7 reported.
Cairo Governor Galal Saeed visited the area Wednesday, overseeing the transferring of the families to Care-Needy Housing in 6 October City south of Cairo. The rock is being handled by a construction company to eliminate the risk of collapse.
YOUM7
In February 2013, 16,832 families were relocated from unsafe areas in Duweiqa to government-subsidized homes in other areas including 6 October City.
YOUM7
Saeed also inspected during his visit a project to establish a highway leading to Duweiqa, as only one street connects the area to Cairo. He also heard proposals by his deputy Mohamed Ayman to establish a bus stop, a planned market, and a complex of mechanics and car spare parts stores; all the said facilities are scattered around Duweiqa.
YOUM7
Egypt has allocated 25 percent of real estate projects for slums, and a large part of subsidized social housing will also be dedicated to residents of slums, said Minister of Urban Development Laila Iskandar at Egypt Urban Forum in June.
YOUM7
There are some 364 “unsafe” areas in Egypt and 1,099 unofficial markets, comprising 37.5% of Egypt’s urban cluster, Minister of Urban Development Laila Iskandar said in 2014.
Slums accumulated in Egypt over decades, and because they are illegal, they are deprived of the majority of basic services. The government has announced in the past few months several development projects to modernize these areas.
YOUM7
About 60 percent of Egypt’s residents live in unplanned areas that were established unlawfully, representing 37.5 percent of the country’s total urban areas, Iskandar told Al-Arabiya channel in August 2014.
Egypt needs 813 million EGP ($113.7 million) to develop these areas, Iskandar said, adding that her ministry’s budget is around 600 million EGP while there are 1,034 slums in Egypt.