President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has directed the government to study measures to temporarily close parts of the Regional Ring Road undergoing maintenance, following a fatal microbus crash that left at least nine people dead and 11 others injured in Menoufia Governorate on Saturday, 28 June.
The closure aims to ensure public safety and allow for the swift completion of upgrading work, while ensuring alternative safe routes are made available, according to an official statement from the presidency.
El-Sisi also instructed the Ministry of Interior to intensify traffic enforcement and take legal action against violators, especially those who breach speed or vehicle load regulations.
The crash occurred near the Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road when two microbuses collided at high speed. According to security sources, excessive speed by one of the drivers led to a direct and violent collision.
Emergency responders dispatched 18 ambulances to the site, with the injured transported to El-Bagour Specialized Hospital for treatment.
The Public Prosecution has launched an investigation into the incident.
Labour Minister Mohamed Gobran has tasked authorities with reviewing the employment status of the victims. If classified as irregular workers, their families may receive compensation of up to EGP 200,000 (USD 4,000), while those injured may be eligible for EGP 20,000 (USD 400).
The crash comes just over a week after a similar tragedy on the same road in Ashmoun in the Nile Delta province of Menoufia, where 19 day labourers, many of them teenage girls, were killed after a truck collided with a minibus.
The back-to-back incidents have reignited national concern over road safety, prompting President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to call for the partial closure of the Regional Ring Road and stricter enforcement measures to prevent further loss of life.
Comments (0)