Housing Minister Mostafa Madbouly has said that the new administrative capital project will provide jobs to thousands of Egyptians.
“All Egyptians will work on this project,” he said on Saturday, adding that his ministry will evaluate the performance of contracting companies working on the project, with a view to either increasing the tasks given to them or contracting new companies.
The minister toured various sites for the project, inspecting the work done so far and encouraging the workers. Among the sites he visited were housing units under construction.
Officials of the New Urban Communities Authority said it had received 20 requests for new sites to be opened so that construction could begin.
The minister said that the requests should be considered, since the ministry is keen to start work in various locations as part of the first phase of the project, in addition to areas where work is already underway.
Madbouly said construction companies have been asked to speed up work in order to make swift progress in the project.
“If any problems crop up, we will solve them," said. "We will overcome all challenges. All delayed payments will be disbursed.”
In March 2015, Egypt launched a project to build a new administrative capital east of Cairo at a cost of US$45 billion.
The new capital will be located between Cairo and the Suez Canal region. It will include 490 kilometres square of land available for urban development, providing 1.1 million housing units and housing 5 million citizens.
It will also include 10,000 roads and a new airport.
