The Egyptian government has completed drafting amendments to the law on settling irregular construction, which will be submitted to the cabinet for approval and then presented to the House of Representatives for discussion and voting. This will be the fourth version of the law since its introduction seven years ago, aimed at addressing shortcomings and obstacles encountered during its implementation.
The proposed amendments aim to rectify issues with the current law and provide a more comprehensive framework for regularizing irregular construction. According to Dr. Khaled Qasim, a local development expert and former assistant minister for local development, the new amendments should include an extension of aerial mapping of irregular construction to cover the years 2024 and 2025. This will help incorporate recent irregular construction into the law.
Dr. Qasim emphasized that addressing the challenges in the law requires bold and flexible solutions, including measures to ensure social justice and maximize self-generated resources for governorates without imposing additional burdens on the state's treasury. The proposed amendments also aim to establish stricter controls for new cases to prevent future irregular construction.
The extension of aerial mapping until 2025 is expected to help absorb irregular construction that is difficult to remove, increasing the likelihood of citizens regularizing their construction. Dr. Qasim suggested that the price of settling irregular construction should be doubled for new cases, and the number of committees reviewing settlement requests should be increased to expedite the process.
The law on settling irregular construction has been under review for several years, with the aim of providing a framework for regularizing construction that does not conform to urban planning regulations. The proposed amendments are expected to provide a more comprehensive and effective solution to the issue of irregular construction in Egypt.
According to Dr. Qasim, the new amendments should prioritize social justice and ensure that the law is implemented in a fair and transparent manner. The proposed changes are expected to encourage citizens to regularize their construction, reducing the number of irregular constructions and increasing revenue for governorates.
The Egyptian government has been working to address the issue of irregular construction, which has been a major challenge in the country. The proposed amendments to the law on settling irregular construction are expected to provide a more effective solution to the problem, and help to promote social justice and good governance.
Key points
- The Egyptian government finalizes amendments to the law on settling irregular construction.
- The proposed amendments include extending aerial mapping of irregular construction until 2025.
- The new amendments aim to provide a more comprehensive framework for regularizing irregular construction.
