by Hisham Youssef – Wednesday, 07 July 2010
Once a flourishing city on the banks of the Nile, Cairo has today arguably grown to become one of the ugliest urban metropolises in the world. Construction in the city has long gone unchecked, while the semblance of regulations that existed have been poorly enforced. Those who can afford it have fled to the lush gated compounds on the outskirts of Cairo, but the majority of residents still live in the cacophonous metropolis.
While there have been commendable efforts to revitalise parts of the old city like al-Darb al-Ahmar, thanks to individual actions of many who care, and support by organisations like the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, there is still no overall vision. As the most populous capital in Africa and the Arab world, Cairo deserves better.
There is an urgent need to develop a Vision for the City – Cairo 2030. This must be a bold overall strategic and cohesive vision, within the ring road and not just downtown. Cairo is expected to have a population of close to 30 million by 2030 and the government needs to take responsiblity for the mess the city has become. This is about both national pride and heritage which, once gone, are irreplaceable.
via Future fortunes – Construction & Industry – ArabianBusiness.com.
Ismailimail 