Minister of Local Development Manal Awad during a surprise inspection tour in Heliopolis to address public complaints about street and sidewalk obstructions on Monday. Photos courtesy of the Egyptian Cabinet
According to a statement from the ministry, the tour followed citizen complaints and covered several key streets, including Korba, El-Baghdadi, Ibrahim El-Laqqani, Sayed Abdel Wahid, and El-Ismailia Square.
The inspection revealed a number of unlicensed shops and workshops, particularly in buildings along Ibrahim El-Laqqani Street.
Awad emphasised that only legally operating businesses will be permitted to continue, and warned that obstructions to pedestrian and vehicle movement would not be tolerated.
She also called for a full review of licences for shops and workshops in the area and ordered legal action against violators.
In 2022, authorities began enforcing Law 154/2019, which imposes fines of between EGP 20,000 and 50,000 for operating unlicensed shops.
The ministry reported widespread issues during the inspection, including damaged sidewalks, missing paving, and broken streetlights.
It also criticized the Heliopolis District administration for failing to adequately address these problems.
Awad instructed immediate repairs and directed the district, in coordination with the Public Utilities Police Department, to carry out regular patrols to remove further obstructions.
The Ministry’s Inspection and Oversight Sector has been tasked with monitoring the district’s compliance and reporting on progress.
Shops currently operate from 7am to 10pm during winter hours, with extended closing times on Thursdays and Fridays.
Restaurants and cafes may remain open until midnight, while workshops in residential areas are permitted to operate between 8am and 6pm.
Egypt will switch to daylight saving time at midnight on 25 April, shifting clocks forward by one hour to GMT+3.
Under summer hours, restaurants and cafes will be allowed to open from 5am to 1am, while takeaway services may operate around the clock.
Workshops may operate from 8am to 7pm.
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