Manal Awad, Egypt’s Minister of Local Development and Environment, inspected ongoing works under the second phase of the redevelopment of Ataba Market, part of a broader government plan to modernise commercial districts and improve infrastructure and public services across the capital.
In a statement, the ministry said the project is aimed at improving the urban environment and strengthening safety measures in one of Cairo’s busiest and most densely populated commercial areas.
The current phase covers several major streets in the Ataba and Mouski districts, including Youssef Naguib Extension, El-Qatawi, Bab Sharq, El-Bosta, and Ataba streets, with total redevelopment works extending across approximately 1,052 metres.
Officials said the project is designed to address chronic overcrowding and the spread of informal street occupation that had previously obstructed access for ambulances, fire services, and emergency response vehicles.
The redevelopment includes the upgrading of approximately 152 commercial shops, the restoration of five architecturally significant buildings, and improvements to nine modern buildings as part of wider efforts to preserve the district’s visual and historical character.
The project also involves standardising storefronts and building facades, installing fire-resistant canopies, allocating designated spaces for street vendors, and introducing surveillance cameras and modern lighting systems. Infrastructure upgrades further include improvements to drainage networks and civil protection systems.
According to the ministry, infrastructure works are progressing steadily, with drinking water upgrades already completed, sewage network works reaching nearly 95%, and electricity upgrades continuing alongside broader urban enhancement efforts.
Authorities officially took over the project site in late March 2026 after coordinating with street vendors and temporarily relocating them to Ataba Garden to enable them to continue operating during the redevelopment process.
During the inspection tour, Manal Awad met with shop owners and street vendors to discuss the progress of the project and hear their feedback. She said the redevelopment aims to strike a balance between preserving the district’s historic commercial activity and improving safety, organisation, and working conditions.
Awad also stressed the importance of adhering to implementation timelines and called for additional greening and beautification works linked to the first phase of the redevelopment programme.
