The Ennasr Mall site has been stopped for almost two years, following the arrest of its promoter Maher Chaâbane. Since then, nothing has moved. The abandoned work has given way to a huge skeleton of concrete and steel, planted in the heart of a residential area. Fixed cranes, planned planks stuck in a hurry, incomplete concrete blocks: so many traps suspended in a vacuum. The Mall has transformed into a permanent threat to the inhabitants, who live every day under the fear of a drama.
At the entrance to the street, a giant crane dominates the neighborhood. His metal arm literally crosses the avenue de l’Ere nouvelle, flying over homes and the roadway. The contrast is striking: a peaceful blue sky above a prosperous district, but a mass of steel of several tonnes ready to switch to the slightest gale. The image evokes less an urban development project than a sword of Damocles suspended above local residents.
Pladdles suspended in a vacuum
The dangers are not limited to vehicles. The photos speak for themselves: on the unfinished facades, site planks exceed open balconies, stuck in a precarious manner in the structure. Some hang several meters from the ground, threatening to crash on passers -by or on cars below. Above, other plates have remained hung on the scaffolding, ready to fly during the next strong winds. We no longer count the pieces of wood and metal capable of turning into deadly projectiles.
In a testimony addressed to the municipality, a resident of the district sounds the alarm:
« There is a real danger with the presence of the Ennasr Mall sales complex whose work has been stopped for almost two years. Three huge cranes dominate the area, one of which is installed above the street and neighboring accommodation. MADIERS still hang on the balconies and could fly away at any time, threatening passers -by and vehicles. The most worrying is that this area is located right next to a primary school and a college. We are waiting for an urgent intervention before the start of the school year. »
An emergency before the disaster
In Ennasr, this project is not just a decor of abandonment: it has become a public threat. Each burst of wind, each weather change can transform this carcass into a disaster area. In a country where prevention is too often relegated to the background, the indifference of the authorities in the face of this major risk is incomprehensible. The residents’ call is clear: before a tragedy has fun, it is necessary to intervene. Demarate the cranes, secure suspended materials, close the area. It is specified that the site is on one of the most frequented arteries in the Cité Ennasr, between two clinics and adjoining a school and a college.
R.B.H
