Snarled: Traffic congestion has become a daily feature of Cairo, the Arab world's most populous capital.
Cairo's streets in theory can accommodate only half a million cars. Now for the real figures. Two-and-a-half million vehicles ply the streets of the capital, which is home to 14 million plus 3 million commuters from neighbouring governorates. However, a solution to the problem is still elusive.
A network of flyovers, tunnels and ring roads have proved unable to alleviate the city's traffic problem. Rather, the rush hour in Africa's largest city is 24/7.Successive governments have failed to take the courageous decision to build a new capital. Not even could they decide on relocating certain departments and ministries outside the city.Overcrowding exacts a terrible toll on the infrastructure and the economy. According to official statistics, LE5 million worth of petrol a day is wasted owing to traffic jams and crawling tailbacks. This is in addition to the psychological and physical problems resulting from time spent at the wheel.Psychatrist Fekri Abdul Aziz said overcrowding caused more than its fair share of tension and anxiety. In an interview with the opposition daily Al-Ahrar, Abdul Aziz said many Egyptians suffer from depression because of the pace of urban life.Professor Abdul Hadi Abdullah says: “I have visited many countries but I have never seen such appalling traffic condition as in Cairo.”“A journey that should take 20 minutes takes an hour,” Abdullah added.Meanwhile, despite the hardships, the underground Metro is by far the best means to get around Cairo. Nation Tunnels Authority Chairman Saad Shehata said the first phase of the third line (Ataba-Abbasiya) would serve 250,000 passengers a day. However, experts advise encouraging people to move to 6 October City.Director of Cairo Traffic Fawzi Ahmed Hassan said the main cause for traffic problems in Cairo is the concentration of all facilities in the capital. “Keeping all government agencies and ministries in one location will mean continual traffic jams as employees go to and from their places of work and because the public have to flock to Cairo for any business with the government,” Hassan said.Hassan also blames the lack of cooperation between various authorities to solve the traffic problem. “Many government agencies allow vehicles in the street without periodic maintenance, which means frequent breakdowns and more traffic jams,” Hassan added. Urban planning specialists called for a plan to relocate to a new capital, or create urban communities out of Cairo and the Delta.
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Cairo needs to expand its public transportation. It is unacceptable that a city(metro) with over 20+ million relies on a such a limited 'metro', 'microbuses'and 'autbeez'.
What happened to the Metro line from the Airport to Imbaba and the line to Khan?
Posts: 2079 | From: 'by any means necessary' - Malcom X | Registered: Mar 2007
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I Think, improve the public transportation and increase of the fuel price, this could force people to use public transportation and minimise un-necessary trips and let a group of people to use one car at a time.. Also can expand the E-governement, which mean you can do ur stuff fro home.. By the way Dubai is becoming very jammed in traffic, to go to the airport in rush hours, i need to leave home 4 hours prior to the flight departure time
Posts: 125 | From: Egypt | Registered: Aug 2006
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