We’ve always made fun of Maadi and its people because of how connected they were to it, never wanted to leave, and how it felt like a maze for an outsider. One of those reasons is because of the immense greenery that made Maadi so special and how it all looked the same, connected via a square and a flower shop around every corner.
What made Maadi so special was that it was one of the few places in Cairo where you could actually go for a walk and enjoy it. The ancient trees planted around Maadi making it not only beautiful but a joy to promenade and take a stroll. Unfortunately, Maadi as we know it is about to change and no one knows why. The trees that have been there for more than 3 generations are about to be removed. The flower shops in every square will be eradicated, not only taking a large part of Maadi’s identity away but also shutting down numerous family businesses and sources of income that have been staples of Maadi for as long as we can remember.
Why is this all happening? Because one of Maadi’s prettiest streets, Road 250, will be replaced by a bridge.
What does this mean for Maadi residents?
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- They will no longer be able to walk as there will be a bridge separating them from their everyday go-to places on foot.
- The trees and beauty will no longer be there. They’ll have to say goodbye to their childhood memories, to their daily rituals, and to the pretty scenery that they called home.
- There will be no parking spots. All those cars that parked in an entire main road, will have nowhere to park and some of the prettiest homes will now be overlooking a bridge instead of the amazing greenery.
- With a highway in the middle of a neighborhood, that means more traffic, more cars, more pollution, more accidents, and more unwanted toktoks and street vendors instead of beautiful flower shops and nature.
- It also means that all the greenery will be replaced with concrete.
What can we do about it? How can we support Maadi residents and #SaveMaadi?
1- File a complaint
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According to the Save Maadi group on Instagram, you can file a complaint here.
Below you’ll find help on how to write an official complaint:
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2- Sign the petition to stop the Maadi Axis from being built
It doesn’t take a second, and even if you don’t live in Maadi, you can help by signing the petition here. There’s power in numbers and every single signature counts.
3- Resort to social media
You can also share the alternative routes displayed below that have been developed by engineers and specialists to accomplish the same goals without ruining Maadi as we know it. Be sure to use the hashtags #SaveMaadi and #المعادي_ترفض_المحور
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4- Share the album of beautiful photos of the Maadi area they want to take down
We’ve seen the power of social media and how it can make a huge impact. Sharing the photos of the beauty of Maadi and the places that are considered home to many can help influence the people who have the authority to stop this from happening.
Feedback on the #SaveMaadi issue by public figures/influencers and Maadi residents
If you’d like to get more information on what’s happening and the impact it has on Maadi, you can check the below post.
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Further reading:
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