by Hassan Baraka
The Transport Ministry’s General Authority for Roads and Bridges has completed the expansion of the Ismailia road from Cairo International Airport to Ismailia; the development of the East Canal road and al-Shat to Ain Moussa road; and the upgrading of the tunnel road from Mit Abul-Kom, a village in the eastern Canal area, in preparation for the inauguration of the New Suez Canal project as part of a national project for roads to encompass 3,400 kilometres of new roads linking governorates and development and reconstruction areas in Upper Egypt, Sinai and the Western Sahara at a total cost approaching LE34bn.
The project is being carried out by the ministries of Transport, Defence and Housing.
Minister of Transport Hani Dahi says 140 kilometres of the Safaga to Upper Egypt road has been completed in time for the inauguration. The ministry is currently following up its arm of the project, which contains only 1250 kilometres. In Upper Egypt, projects are being carried out to link the Red Sea with Upper Egyptian governorates and to develop the golden triangle area comprising Safaga, Sohag, Qena, Halayeb and Shalateen.
Dividing the road will save energy and fuel by around a quarter, shorten travel time and ensure safer trips, particularly for a road named the ‘death road’ for its history of accidents on this single-carriageway road with many turns, particularly those leading to Sohag and Assiut, the head of the Upper Egypt Sector Eng. Muhammad Abdel-Aziz.
The 35-km al-Shat to Aynn Moussa road in Sinai, which starts at the Ahmed Hamdi tunnel, has been completed as part of the first phase at a cost of LE128mn. The project, constructed by the General Nile Company for Roads and Bridges, one of the companies affiliated to the Holding Company for Roads and Bridges, will be handed over on target within days. It will extend to Sharm al-Sheikh in the coming phase over 350 kilometres.
Head of the Roads and Bridges Authority Eng. Adel Turk says the establishment of the provincial ring road from Banha to the Cairo to Alexandria road over 57 kilometres is being implemented as far as al-Khatatba at a cost of LE4.750bn. DETAC Construction and Trading will carry out the 14-km improvement at a cost of LE550mn, while the Roads Construction Company will construct a 1.5-km sector at a cost of LE50mn, he says.
The project includes a new four-lane road in each direction, Turk says, pointing out that the provincial ring road aims to link main roads to boost trade movement between the governorates of Upper Egypt governorates and the Canal and Delta, leading to less traffic on main roads inside the province of Greater Cairo.
An additional concrete lane for heavy trucks will be established on the Suez to Cairo road, Turk says, adding that construction work is ongoing round the clock. Eight bridges will be established to enable U-turns and create a highway without crossroads.
Construction company workers gave an epic performance by working overnight to avoid the high temperatures of the morning, the head of the Holding Company for Roads and Bridges, Eng. Ramzi Lasheen, said, adding that they were attacked by snakes and scorpions while on duty.
