The tram of Heliopolis, or as many prefer to call it “Tromay”, used to be one of the most important features of the neighborhood. Although it is over a century old, sadly, in recent years, the tramway has suffered from extreme neglect. Since it was announced last month that the tram will be completely removed from the neighborhood, social media users have been expressing their sadness over what has become of the neighborhood of Heliopolis’ important heritage. The history of “Tromay Heliopolis” goes back more than 120 years that have witnessed three different lines. In the 1970s, more than half of the tram was removed to accommodate the growing use of cars. The only operating lines at the time remained in Heliopolis and Helwan. However, the latter line was shut down in 2011, while the Heliopolis line was largely removed in 2014 after plans to expand the streets and pavements. The Council of Ministers had in 1894 granted a concession to a Belgian company to establish eight tramlines in Cairo. The company has meanwhile appointed 400 Egyptian workers in the new project. Many newspapers have also published advertisements encouraging people…
