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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 30 Nov. - 6 Dec. 2000 Issue No.510 | ||
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Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 30 Nov. - 6 Dec. 2000 Issue No.510 | ||
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Special Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Taking the shanty out of shantytowns
AT A CEREMONY presenting 100 new homeowners with deeds to housing units in Al-Duweqa, Mrs Suzanne Mubarak said the site was the first fruit of an ambitious project to offset the social, economic and environmental repercussions caused by shantytowns.
The deeds were among 2,000 for completed apartments in the Monsha'at Nasser area of Al-Duweqa -- the first phase of a shantytown development project that aims to build 70,000 housing units in the area. The completed project -- to cost approximately LE3.5 billion -- is expected to house around 350,000 people, in addition to providing full educational, health, security, religious and cultural services.
"A year and a half ago, we laid together the foundation stone for this project on this plot of land which was merely barren desert," Mrs Mubarak said. "Today, all shantytown constructions have been removed and new units have been built in their place according to a scientific plan that provides a new housing unit to each homeowner before leaving his previous residence."
According to Minister of Housing Ibrahim Soliman, Egypt has 1,119 shanty areas in 21 governorates that house 25 per cent of the population. In Cairo alone, there are 11 shanty areas in which LE1 billion has been allocated for their development. Being the largest shanty in the capital, Al-Duweqa was chosen to be developed first.
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