His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, proceeded on Monday in the rural commune of Sidi Hajjaj Oued Hassar (Mediouna province) to the launch of the construction works for the "Riad" operation for the relocation of nearly 8,400 shanty town households in the Greater Casablanca region.

Mobilising investments of more than 1.1 billion dirhams, the "Riad" operation, carried by the "Al Omrane" and "Idmaj Sakane" groups, is an integral part of the programme for the resorption of shanty towns in the Greater Casablanca region launched by the Sovereign on 07 April 2011.

This project, which covers a total area of 175 ha, is part of the efforts made to improve the living conditions of a large segment of the region's population, but also to revive the prevention policy intended to contain the scourge of insalubrious housing and, consequently, to improve the urban landscape of the metropolis.

The "Riad" operation, whose completion period is 15 months, reflects the constant solicitude that the Sovereign surrounds the disadvantaged social categories with by allowing them to access decent housing under advantageous conditions and a better living environment. It consists of the development and servicing of 4,193 bi-family lots for the relocation of 8,386 shanty town households, 1,009 social mix lots, 37 lots intended for the construction of public facilities, and three other lots to house commercial activities.

With beneficial social impacts, this quality urban project will be financed by the Housing and Urban Integration Solidarity Fund, the beneficiaries, the proceeds from the sale of social mix lots, and the general state budget (construction of public facilities).

H.M. the King, may God assist Him, also proceeded on the same occasion in the rural commune of Mejjatia Ouled Taleb (Mediouna province) to the symbolic handing over of allocation certificates to ten beneficiaries of the second phase of the "Al Hamd" project, which includes 532 bi-family lots (1,064 households).

Launched by the Sovereign on 20 December 2011, this project, which aims to relocate, in the long term, 3,434 shanty town households in the region, is carried out in three phases, the first of which has already been delivered.

The "Al Hamd" project (316 million dhs), carried out by the Al-Omrane group on a total area of 50 ha, involves the development and servicing of 1,717 bi-family lots, 170 social mix lots, and 16 lots hosting local public facilities and economic activities.

The second phase of this project concerns the relocation of 650 households from the El Menzeh, Bouaâzza Ben Taibi, and Boulahya shanty towns, located in the Sidi Bernoussi district prefecture, and 414 households from the Carrières Centrales shanty town (Ain Sbâa Hay Mohammadi district prefecture).

These various social housing projects are in line with the efforts made by the Sovereign for the creation of mixed and integrated housing zones allowing to accompany the demographic and urban development of the metropolis, and to ensure progress and prosperity for its inhabitants. They consecrate the new vocation of the periphery, by promoting the conditions of a dignified life for the populations.