Building evacuated after cracks, tilt caused by metro excavation works

CAIRO – 28 July 2020: Excavation works in the third phase of the third line of the metro undergoing in Zamalek district have caused cracks and damages to a residential building and the Bahrain Embassy in Brazil Street.

Cracks and a tilt in the building were reported, and then authorities evacuated the building until it is examined by a specialized committee.

A set of measures were taken by the Ministry of transport, in charge of the metro project, to address the damages.

A technical committee was formed of members of Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University, the National Authority for Tunnels, and the French Company executing the project to examine the damages incurred on both the residential building and the embassy’s headquarters.

The assigned committee will determine if the building will need restoration or will be demolished. At the meantime, the dredging works at the site have been halted for one week.

The building will be re-injected with bentonite to increase its consistency before resuming excavation works. The residents will be compensated for the damages that occurred in their building, as well as the embassy.

The contractor in charge of the project will bear the costs resulting from the damages caused by the metro excavation works.

With only 10 meters separating the current digger site, and the location of the Zamalek metro station on Ismail Mohamed Street, the giant dredger will resume work after all safety measures are taken.

Authorities also confirmed that no changes or modification will be made to the project designs or path.

Line 3 is part of the Greater Cairo Metro project that passes from Embaba to El-Mohandiseen, passing under the Nile up to Zamalek district and Attaba.

The length of line 3 is 45.5 km, comprising a total number of 36 stations; 23 underground stations, 2 On-grad stations, and 11 elevated stations.

Line 3 of Cairo metro meets huge transportation demands along the route, and reduces the traffic density at the other means of transportation with a rate equivalent to 2 million trips/daily.