Minister of Housing and Urban Communities Assem El Gazzar denied reports that Warraq Island lands have been forcibly evacuated, noting that the holders of such lands have so far received EGP 6 billion in compensations and in the meantime alternative housing units have cost EGP 2 billion.

These remarks were made at a press conference held following the cabinet meeting in the New Alamain City earlier in the day.

He pointed out that such reports are just claims by evil powers, noting that the development of Warraq Island is part of the state’s comprehensive plan to develop the dangerous or slum areas.

The government had put its hand on squatter-occupied 91 feddans (one feddan equals 4,500 square meters) in Al Warraq Island situated on the Nile River at Giza governorate, he added.

The minister stressed that 67 feddans of those were consensually bought from holders as they had a total of 550 housing units, 330 of which were consensually evacuated. The price per feddan was set at LE 6 million. Yet, the sum disbursed until present is just LE 5 billion.

Further, Warraq residents were given the option to get 16 feddans in Sadat City, a suburban area outside Cairo, for each feddan they sell to the government, Gazzar explained.

He also said evacuation of lands in the island is for the purpose of securing the establishment of “Tahiya Misr” Axis which is estimated to extend for around 91 feddans, 67 of which have already been evacuated.

Gazzar said the Nile River islands are considered natural reserves, but the encroachments on such lands have been enormous over the years, a matter which reflected the unplanned and unlicensed building that led to deterioration of natural environment around the Nile course.

These encroachments have forced the state to move to end such environmental deterioration on the coasts of the Nile and its islands and therefore that state decided to intervene to settle such issue, he explained.

Source: State Information Service Egypt