ALEXANDRIA: When General Adel Labib replaced Abdel Salam El-Mahgoub as governor of Alexandria three years ago, he had big shoes to fill. Most Alexandrians remember the nine-year tenure of El-Mahgoub with a sense of nostalgia. Famous projects like the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Stanley Bridge bear his name and it is impossible to ignore the impact he has had on the city. Since Labib took office, he has launched a number of ambitious projects for Egypt's second city, including cleaning up the streets, improving the city's sewage system, repaving the roads and cleaning up Alexandria's slums. Looking at the Governorate's official web site, one would think Alexandria is witnessing an infrastructural revolution. In many ways, it is. Hundreds of roads have been repaved and sidewalks all over the city have been changed. Projects are underway to ease traffic congestion and clean up marketplaces where street peddlers survive. A metro project is also currently being studied. Despite all this, any conversation with the people of Alexandria will reveal that they are not feeling the benefits of any of these projects. Quite the contrary, many of them are upset and feel that the governorate is intent on making life harder for them. They argue that life was much easier during El-Mahgoub's term, to which some may look back with longing and nostalgia. Bikya Masr took a look at a few of the projects undertaken by the governor and their effect on Alexandria's citizens. Sidi Gaber is perhaps the most well known district of Alexandria to Egyptians from other cities. It should be, this is where incoming trains from Cairo and elsewhere stop and passengers get off. An electric bridge was erected over the main Abu Qir road to ease the car/pedestrian traffic jams caused by hundreds crossing the street every house. This was received well by drivers and skeptically by pedestrians (many of whom ignore it anyway). Apart from Sidi Gaber train station, the area was famous for the stations of the two main bus companies in the country; Superjet and West Delta. For years, travelers arriving from Cairo, Suez and other cities would land in the heart of Alexandria to easily find transportation to their destination. It was also a starting point for many who preferred to travel by bus than train. Adjacent to these stations was a microbus stop of significant size where drivers transported citizens round the clock to poorer areas around the airport. One of Labib's first projects when he took office targeted the Superjet and West Delta stations. Within months of taking office, bulldozers replaced buses and demolished the bus stations bit by bit until they were reduced to piles of rubble. These two stations had served as an essential transport hub for thousands going into and out of the city. Many were outraged at the development; and even more so when it turned out that such a vital station was demolished to make way for a 160 space car park. That car park is what remains today. For 300 pounds a month 160 people park their cars in the area, which is still referred to as “Superjet” by many. These bus stations were transferred to the new station (Al Maw'af al Gadid) several kilometers outside the city and definitely a lot more difficult to reach than Sidi Gaber. This is especially true for those going to catch a bus before sunrise or arriving in Alexandria late at night. The lower income classes of Alexandria were furious when the microbuses were then removed for good to be replaced by ancient public buses that are around for 15 hours a day at most. An elderly lady sitting on a bus to take her to her home by the airport complains. “Why did they remove the microbuses? They were so much better and faster. We've been sitting on this bus for ten minutes waiting for driver to come back,” she says. Instead of easing traffic congestion in this area, the presence of several large buses, sometimes two rows of them; has narrowed the road and traffic remains an issue. These buses leave a perpetual cloud of smog behind them wherever they go, making breathing in Sidi Gaber similar to Cairo's packed Tahrir Square. One of Labib's top priorities was cleaning up Alexandria, and he has set about doing so enthusiastically. Recently, the governorate has worked on removing street markets around the city. One of these was Souk Shidya. It was situated conveniently by the tram and for decades was a shopping destination for many to buy their fruit, vegetable, poultry and meat. Not only did it offer quality food and low prices; but it was the only source of livelihood for the local vendors. Now, Souk Shidya has been removed with all its street stalls to make room for cars to move. A constant police presence in the souks ensures that few will risk coming back and setting up shop illegally. Similar projects were carried out in Bakkus, another well known street marketplace. In fact, the governorate has succeeded in cleaning up the omnipresent garbage dump that was there, but in the process many street vendors have been hurt. A mother who regularly shops at Bakkus thinks, “to be fair, the governor has in fact cleaned up the garbage that was here and made the souk a lot cleaner. But ever since all the street stalls were dismantled, prices have gone up since the remaining shops have no competition any more. Now I buy what I used to buy before at higher prices.” Speaking to the street vendors reveals a great deal of bitterness and hatred for the government. They feel their income has been taken from them unfairly. They don't mention if they will be given an alternative place to do business. Another ambitious endeavor launched by the governor is fixing and repaving the roads, which were badly in need of repair. Hundreds of roads have been paved and repaved. Endless lengths of sidewalks have been dismantled for newer material. This is where many Alexandrians are most dissatisfied. They jokingly refer to the governor as “the sidewalk governor.” What annoyed drivers and pedestrians most was the unbearably slow pace of the repairs. Entire sidewalks were destroyed all at once, to be completely rebuilt only months later. During this time, drivers were incensed at the amount of sand and rubble they had to evade while driving; while pedestrians had to walk in the endless puddles of sand and mud. Even after the new sidewalks were in place, pedestrians had to walk with squinting eyes for weeks because of the sand that was left in place to be blown away by the wind. The most destructive undertaking was perhaps to destroy and replace the Corniche sidewalk in downtown Alexandria. When this took place, many citizens were truly saddened as they saw the ancient basalt blocks that had been in place since British colonialism being crushed to bits. The sentimental value of this part of town is priceless to millions. It would be similar to destroying the cobblestone ground at Cairo's Khan al Khalili and replacing it with modern cement blocks. On Facebook and the blogosphere, citizens protested what they saw as the destruction of their city, with many complaining at the loss of a part of Alexandria's heritage in Downtown. Others protested that it was impossible to walk on the new cement blocks in the rain because they were exceedingly slippery. One citizen questioned “why so much money was spent on changing the sidewalk. Alexandria did not become any more beautiful when its sidewalks were changed. And why is it that the new sidewalks that cost millions and made movement so difficult for months are already showing numerous holes and cracks as if they are decades old?” Others long for the days of El-Mahgoub, saying “When El-Mahgoub was governor, streets would be paved and completed overnight and ready the next morning. Now, it takes several weeks for a single street to be completed.” When Hanan Shalabi, the governor’s spokesperson, was asked about the intention of the governor behind removing the street marketplaces, she refused to comment. Alexandria's promenade is the site of numerous collision of speeding cars with pedestrians. Despite the presence of numerous underground tunnels set up by El-Mahgoub, it still continues to have a poor safety record. To combat this problem, Labib announced the construction of new tunnels. However, many were perplexed at his choice for the first site in Sporting, only minutes walking between two other tunnels. Those without cars insist that an underground tunnel in front of the famous San Stefano Mall is a must. Shalabi says that “the tunnels we have started with are only the first in a series of twenty tunnels that will span the entire Corniche.” When these are completed, they will cause a dramatic reduction in fatal, gruesome accidents, she adds. A plan for the construction of a metro in Alexandria has been announced. Such a project will greatly help to minimize traffic congestion and help transport the millions who do not have cars, especially if it connects the Borg el-Arab area to the city center. It will also be significantly faster than the painfully slow tram. According to Labib, the “Alexandria metro will be a copy of the Paris metro”. Shalabi, Labib's spokesperson did not offer details of the project, saying only that “the metro is still being studied and has not been approved yet.” However, it has been received with skepticism by many Alexandrians. One citizen asked, “does that mean the governor is staying with us for several years until the metro is completed?” Other citizens are more sympathetic with the governor. An engineer who works in Agamy, where Labib helped solve many of the area's sewage problems, thinks “the governor is trying to do a lot of good things, but people don't understand him.” A student from Beheira, where Labib was governor before he was appointed to Alexandria thinks “Labib's problem is that he's trying to do everything at once. That's why for some time everything looks like it's destroyed.” Still many are unhappy with the basic services they are receiving. A resident of Abu Qir says that “every day during the summer vacation, there is either no water or the water pressure is so low we can't use it for anything. The water only comes back at night.” Thanks to Labib, the formerly overcrowded area of Smouha now has no more traffic jams and residents say the former noise has now abated. This was accomplished through a few changes in street directions. But the residents who do not own cars are not happy. It is a lot more difficult for people in Smouha to get taxis now that many roads have become one way, and that any taxi driver now charges more money because he has to drive a longer distance. Many believe that the governor is in fact trying to improve services, but only the better off who own cars, while ignoring the less fortunate of society. Labib still has plans for the new Borg el Arab airport, as well as ideas to create job opportunities. Whatever the governor does, though, is bound to be marred by controversy. BM
