Cairo governor follows up construction of new Tounsi market

CAIRO – 4 September 2018: Cairo Governor Khaled Abdel Aal has followed up Monday on the construction of the new Al-Tounsi civilized market that is set to replace the old slummy market located in al-Basateen district in southern Cairo.

The newly-appointed governor said that two locations have been provided for the establishment of the new market with a total area of 55 square kilometers.

Following the establishment of the new market, vendors in the old market will be allowed to move to the new one to sell the same goods, including used furniture, which the market is known for. The new market will have a police station and a fire-fighting station, according to Abdel Aal.

In August 2017, Housing Minister Mostafa Madbouly, who also serves now as the prime minister, launched the Tounsi market project, with a total cost of LE 180 million ($10.3 million), according to media reports.

The project comes within the framework of developing slummy areas in Cairo.

According to former Cairo governor, Atef Abdel Hameed, the project mainly aims to eliminate a number of five slummy markets located in al-Basateen district, which Abdel Hameed described as "dangerous", as fire broke out many times in the area due to the absence of safety measures and the presence of inflammable materials in the markets.

Abdel Hamid said that it will take 11 months for the new market to be established. The Cabinet, headed by former Prime Minister Sherif Ismail, approved the establishment of the Tousni market in July 2017.

The Tounsi market aka al-Gomaa (Friday) market is one of the most famous markets in Cairo, as it sells new and used furniture for comparatively cheap prices.

In 2008, the governorate attempted to move the Tounsi slummy market to the 15th of May city located eastern Helwan in Cairo. The establishment of the new market was finished in 2015, costing the state millions of pounds.

However, vendors of al-Tounsi market refused to move as the market is so far from the location of the old market. This problem will not expectedly happen this time as the new market will be only 1 kilometer away from the old one, according to official reports.