Thursday 14 Nov
Dr. Rania AlMashat, Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation, has received a report from the Regional Planning Sector detailing the progress of a new initiative to replace asphalt paving with interlocking tiles. This initiative, undertaken in collaboration with various governorates, is a direct response to recommendations made by the House of Representatives' Local Administration Committee in February 2024. The committee had suggested exploring alternative paving materials for roads narrower than 8 meters, given the rising cost of bitumen and the need for imports.
This initiative aligns with the Ministry's commitment to enhancing government spending efficiency, maximizing public investments, and addressing challenges hindering the implementation of Egypt's socioeconomic development plan.
The report highlighted several
economic advantages of using interlocking tiles, including cost-effectiveness
as interlocking tiles are significantly cheaper than bitumen, which costs between
400-500 Egyptian pounds per square meter compared to 800-1000 pounds for
bitumen.
Using interlocking tiles supports.
The initiative promotes domestic production as local manufacturers currently
supply about 40% of the interlocking tile market, reducing the need for imports
and saving foreign currency.
Another advantage is the ease of
maintenance as interlocking tiles can be easily removed and reused, making
maintenance and repairs more cost-effective compared to asphalt.
The Ministry has actively engaged with governors across the country to identify and prioritize roads suitable for this innovative paving solution. The 2024/2025 fiscal year has witnessed a substantial increase in investments allocated to interlocking tile road projects, surpassing one billion Egyptian pounds out of the total eight billion pounds earmarked for road paving programs.
