King Mohammed VI tours Old Medina’s alleys to oversee major works done to improve residents’ living conditions.Middle East Online
CASABLANCA, Morocco – Moroccan King Mohammed VI visited Wednesday the various rehabilitation and restoration projects under way in the Old Medina of Casablanca.
The monarch toured the alleys of the Old Medina and visited the zaouia Harakia Derkaouia, the mosque of the zaouia Kadiria and the Mguirja Mosque, which were recently restored.
He performed the ritual mosque greeting prayer at the Zaouia Kadiria mosque and the Mguirja mosque.
He also enquired about the progress of rehabilitation and upgrading works of the Old Medina, which aim to enhance the building aspect of the city and ensure better integration into its urban environment.
The priority actions of the rehabilitation programme aim at improving the living conditions of the population by ensuring access to basic services and upgrading the sewerage, drinking water and public lighting networks, as well as extending telephone network.
They also include the restoration of the high wall in order to restore a part of the city’s history, rehousing 78 households in Moulay Rachid district and carrying out a technical diagnosis of old buildings.
These actions include as well a plan for traffic and mobility within the medina and repairing the Mguirja Mosque and Harrakia Derkaouia, Kadiria and Naciria Zaouias.
The King had launched on 12 August 2011 three projects which are progressing according to the deadline. These are: a centre for addictology and phthisiology with redevelopment of the Bousmara heath centre, the conversion of the “Buenaventura” church into a culture house, and setting up a space for meetings, the construction works of which are scheduled for April of this year.
Mohamed Aouzai, Director of the Urban Agency of Casablanca, stressed that the proposed upgrading and rehabilitation of the old media Casablanca had reached a very advanced stage and that some projects had been completed or in progress of completion.
An initial budget of 300 million dirhams has been allocated to priority programs planned as part of this rehabilitation and restoration project which seeks to improve the Old Medina residents’ living standards and boost tourism in the area.
In addition, as part of the reorganization of trade and handicraft activities, 40 shops were refurbished as part of the programme Rawaj.
A training programme in the area of hygiene and safety was organized for traders beneficiaries of that operation, with the supervision of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
(MAP)
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