Casablanca Officials Inspect World Cup 2030 Preparations

During an unannounced inspection visit to the prefecture of the province of Médiouna, on the outskirts of Casablanca on Sunday, Mohammed Mhidia, accompanied by the governor of the province as well as several local officials and representatives of external services, went to verify whether the latest arrangements concerning the Al Ihsan cemetery project, whose delivery is scheduled for next month, have been taken into account, report sources from Hespress. He also asked the officials in charge of the widening, construction and rehabilitation projects of the highway axes, particularly those connecting Berrechid to Rabat and Tit Mellil to Berrechid, as well as those leading to Mohammed V International Airport, which will host the majority of visitors during the football event scheduled in five years, to accelerate the work.

The Wali of the Casablanca-Settat region also made observations to the territorial officials of the province of Médiouna. He urged them to accelerate the implementation of several infrastructure projects planned in their jurisdiction, including the widening of certain roads, the demolition of anarchic constructions and installations, the construction of neighborhood sports fields, as well as the extension of public lighting to several areas. He also called on certain officials of the external services to improve the level of coordination, facilitate administrative procedures for companies operating in infrastructure projects, and strengthen the monitoring of compliance with specifications and specific contractual conditions (CPS).

The Wilaya of Casablanca-Settat attaches great importance to infrastructure investment projects in the region, in preparation for hosting the 2030 World Cup. These include the modernization and expansion of transport networks (tramway, busway, buses and taxis), the improvement of stadiums and sports facilities, the strengthening of tourist and hotel facilities, as well as the promotion of the environmental and sustainable development aspect. These projects should mobilize more than 10 billion dirhams in investments and generate more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs, thus contributing to the improvement of the local economy and the increase in tourism revenues.

The Wali also questioned the officials of the province of Médiouna about several complaints filed with the Wilaya, relating to the health and environmental damage caused by certain waste disposal sites. In this regard, he demanded the implementation of urgent solutions for the management of "inert waste" from infrastructure and private real estate construction sites, as well as used industrial waste.

This new inspection visit follows a first one carried out by the top territorial official of the Casablanca-Settat region, accompanied by the governors of the provinces of Berrechid, Médiouna and Nouaceur, to the road rehabilitation and widening sites in the province of Berrechid, at the end of last year, according to the same sources. On that occasion, he had questioned the site managers about the reasons for the delay in the execution of the contractual commitments. He had also inspected the roadsides, and strongly criticized one of the three territorial officials because of the lack of monitoring in the operation of the "Toufna" quarries, used by the companies involved in the road works.