Hurghada Widens Crackdown on Illegal Cafeteria Encroachments and Rooftop Violations

Hurghada authorities carried out a coordinated wave of enforcement action this week against illegal cafeteria encroachments and unauthorized rooftop construction across several districts of the city, according to three separate Egyptian outlets.

In the Al-Dahabiya area, city inspectors launched what Al-Ahram Gate described as a "large-scale campaign" to review cafeteria licences and encroachments onto public land, with the outlet publishing photos from the sweep. Separately, Dar Al-Maaref reported that Hurghada is confronting cafeterias that have encroached onto the public road, part of the same broader push to reclaim pavement and roadside space from unlicensed food and drink stalls.

In the South Hurghada district, inspectors demolished an unauthorized rooftop structure covering 300 square metres, Sada El-Balad reported — one of the larger single violations cleared in recent enforcement rounds.

None of the reports gave a total number of violations found, businesses affected, or a timeline for the campaign to continue.

The action follows a similar crackdown earlier this month in North Hurghada, where authorities gave property owners a 72-hour notice to clear road right-of-way violations. Encroachment sweeps like these matter to residents and visitors alike: reclaiming pavements and roadside space affects pedestrian access and traffic flow in some of the city's busiest tourist-facing districts.