Egyptian authorities have removed 32 encroachments on the Nile River and adjacent riverbank lands in the Shubra-Helwan sector as part of a national project to regulate the Nile and its branches, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation said.
Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Hani Sewilam chaired a meeting to review progress on the project, with the ministry noting that the removals focused on the Moneil Shiha and Abu Nomros areas in Giza governorate, in coordination with local authorities and security agencies.
According to the ministry, the removals included structures conflicting with the planned “Ahl Misr” river walkway project in Moneil Shiha, which is expected to extend for around eight kilometres.
Sewilam stressed the importance of continued monitoring to protect the Nile and ensure the immediate removal of any new encroachments, underscoring the river’s role as a vital lifeline for Egypt’s development.
He also called for stricter oversight of riverfront development projects to ensure compliance with approved designs that do not negatively affect the river’s hydraulic and environmental systems.
The ministry said that 339 illegal structures had previously been removed along the Rosetta branch of the Nile, including an unauthorised road and the clearance of the Abu Dawoud island channel in Menoufia governorate.
The Nile regulation project aims to restore the river’s carrying capacity, curb encroachments, improve the management of riverbank lands, and provide accurate data on the riverbed and banks to support sustainable water resources management.
