The Urban Communities Authority (UCA) provisionally approved the allocation of around 250 feddans to establish a commercial district in the suburb of New Cairo. An Official from the UCA, who preferred anonymity, told the Daily News Egypt that “the project is still being studied.”
The Research Centre for Housing and Construction (RCHC) had already examined the feasibility to establish the commercial district back in 2005, but the land chosen was already designated another development, which led to the project being suspended.
“The RCHC conducted studies again in 2012 to establish the commercial district in New Cairo which was granted provisional approval,” said the source.
The district is expected to house large markets, industries and a variety of commercial activities. It will mainly include outlets for craftsmen and wholesalers to market fabrics, household items, among other products that are usually found in the markets of Al-Azhar, Ataba and Ghoria, who specialise in wholesale.
The main target for establishing this district is to lighten pressure off wholesale markets that exist in the city’s most crowded neighbourhoods and lure consumers to markets that are outside central Cairo, thus reducing traffic congestion.
“From my point of view the new location is not a perfect one either, since the entrances and exits to New Cairo are also overcrowded. Therefore, I suggest entrances to the commercial district to be through Ain Al-Sokhna-Cairo highway to avoid traffic in New Cairo,” added the source.
