The investments required for developing New El Alamein city during fiscal year 2016/17 would amount 3bn Egyptian pounds ($337mn), according to a recent report by the Ministry of Planning on the development of the North-Western coast project. The ministry is currently preparing the general plan of the first phase of the city on 8,000 feddans. This first phase will encompass tourist area, part of the downtown area, and the city's residential area, according to a source at the Ministry of Planning. The implementation of the first phase's infrastructure was assigned to Arab Contractors and Société Egyptienne D'entreprises (known previously as Mukhtar Ibrahim), which was approved by the cabinet in February. The government allocated 531bn pounds from the state budget and government investment during the current fiscal year to implement development projects and infrastructure such as roads, bridges, electricity, and sanitation. According to the report issued by the Ministry of Planning, which was then broadcast on TV on Friday evening, the ministry will outline the first primary plan of the first phase and establish a drinking water desalination plant, as well as developing the Alexandria-Matrouh coastal road from the 93km point up to intersection with Wadi Natrun-El Alamein road at a cost of 320mln pounds. Former president Adly Mansour issued a presidential decree back in May 2014 approving the re-allocation 88,000 pounds and 585 feddans of state-owned land to the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA), to be used in the creation of a new urban community at El Alamein city.
