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Al-Ahram Weekly 4 -10 February 1999 Issue No. 415 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 4 -10 February 1999 Issue No. 415
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Book Fair Economy Opinion Culture Features Living Travel Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Easy solutions for Cairo?
By Mona El-NahhasGovernor of Cairo Abdel-Rehim Shehata attending Monday's seminar said: "In coordination with officials at the various government departments and local [municipal] councils, the Cairo Governorate has drawn up a comprehensive development programme that is capable of dealing with the capital's current problems and meeting the needs of the people." Shehata met members of the public in one of the Fair's pavilions and said, "Cairo must be able to face the 21st century, which will be very different due to the rapid development in economy, technology and all aspects of life."
Before disclosing details of the programme, Shehata provided some statistics on life in the capital. Cairo, he said, has a population of 10 million and has 26 administrative districts, 35 police stations, 4,500 buses, more than 3,400 schools and 362 hospitals and medical centres, where 10,000 doctors work. The city has a large number of hotels, including 54 five-star hotels. "Work is underway to build five more luxury hotels to increase hotel capacity by 25 per cent," he said.
Shehata does not view Cairo's problems as chronic. "They can be easily solved," he said, "through a framework that combines theory with practice. Then comes financing, implementation and follow-up."
Shehata divided the programme into seven items. The first aims at improving infrastructure on which around LE27 billion has been spent under the last three five-year development plans. Improving the sewage system alone cost LE8 billion and in the current fourth plan, an additional LE3 billion has been allocated. "Realising the importance of a strong infrastructure in the 21st century, state officials did not hesitate to provide the funds necessary for completion," Shehata said.
They also allocated LE800 million to the completion of the capital's ring road and another LE600 million to the development of telephone networks, as well as to construction, housing and the improvement of slum areas.
Shehata said that LE650 million is required to provide slum areas with public utilities. However, he pointed out that some areas such as Zeinhom and Manchiyet Nasser needed complete reconstruction. "Providing these areas with utilities and services will be of no use," he said.
A total of 140,000 housing units have been built under the past three five-year plans, at a total cost of LE1.3 billion. Under the current plan, 28,000 housing units will be built, Shehata said.
The second item of the programme involves the cleaning of the capital. Shehata said that the time had come to find a radical solution to the problem of garbage collection. "The funds provided to the Cairo Cleaning Authority have been doubled to LE40 million per year," he said. "Moreover, we have issued an appeal to public sector companies to take part in cleaning some of the elite districts, such as Heliopolis, Zamalek and Garden City," Shehata said. The greening of Cairo will continue by planting one million palm trees annually.
Protecting the Nile is another important plank of the programme. "Now we do not allow the construction of any buildings on the Nile banks," Shehata said. "Only gardens and dockyards are permissible. Casinos have been removed and replaced with public parks. Yet, we still have to deal with certain governmental bodies who consider their existence on the Nile bank to be an acquired right." Measures have also been taken to end the dumping of waste water into the Nile.
The fourth item on the programme aims at developing Fatimid Cairo, an area that contains a large number of Islamic monuments, such as the Citadel and the mosque of Amr ibn Al-Aas. "Improving this area will guarantee that Egypt's income from tourism will treble," he claimed.
The programme gives special attention to the traffic problem. A traffic planning body has been established which has called for the construction of underground car parks, the opening of new roads and the proper application of traffic laws.
The programme also deals with human development, through the improvement of education and health services and the creation of job opportunities for the young.
