CAIRO - The relative quiet of the night in many Cairene districts has in the past few months been broken by the sound of trucks unloading building materials on impromptu construction sites. In the absence of municipality supervision as part of a general chaotic scene dominating Egyptian governorates, a frenzy of unlicensed building is sweeping the nation. In the seaport city of Alexandria heavy construction activity reportedly starts on a daily basis a short time after midnight coming into full swing at dawn. Whether in upmarket areas or shantytowns, urban planning and building violations are going on day and night, despite hundreds of police reports filed by inhabitants of respective neighbourhoods against contractors and property owners. Fadia Radwan, a housewife from the Sidi Gaber district, says the noise of the cranes, the shouting of the workers and the unloading of pebbles prevent her from having a good night's sleep. “And yet no one from the governorate, the police or local council seems to pay any heed to our complaints”, she told Al-Messa Arabic evening daily. She added that construction work on three adjacent buildings in her neighbourhood is taking place simultaneously in a side street that does not exceed six metres in width. Since January encroachments on agricultural land for building purposes, as well as the demolition of villas and old housing blocks, have taken a serious turn, the adverse results of which will soon be evident as close observers point out. There is massive fear today over the devastating effects on the infrastructure in the areas affected of this unplanned mushrooming of housing facilities. The extra burden on the electricity and sewage grids is already causing many problems”, Hassan Rahal, a secondary school teacher, told the newspaper. He pointed out that outlaws and thugs have actually laid hands on a number of unoccupied villas in the Agami suburb, west of Alexandria, and also right in the heart of Alexandria in the Sidi Gaber and Sidi Beshr districts. “These buildings have been replaced by ugly high-rises that are adding insult to injury”. Reported violations also include adding extra storeys to already existing buildings which experts say pose a potential threat to neighbourhoods. What may be termed a “construction mafia” seems to have a strong grip on Alexandria. The Alexandrians complain of an ongoing tug-of-war between contractors and holders of capital on the one hand and ordinary citizens on the other. “Contractors appear to be carrying out an agreed upon plan, whereby they guarantee buying as many buildings as they can”, said Hassan Freka, who lives in a populous area in the eastern part of the city. A contractor buys a building flanked by blocks on both sides, so that when it is pulled down, the subsequent soil subsidence would prompt tenants of these adjacent buildings to negotiate with the contractor, he explained. “In Montazah, east and central Alexandria contractors build one storey each day to complete the construction of buildings of l5 or more storeys as fast as possible.” Local observers say that the quick and random construction activity in Alexandria has accelerated in the past few days, causing building materials to rise in price. Cement is today sold at LE l,500 per ton and the price of rebars has shot up to LE 8,000 per ton. The situation on the ground suggests that it may be irrevocable and this has pushed citizens to demand speedy official intervention before it is too late.
