Why Egypt is placing its pyramids under military protection
Officials are taking tourists’ complaints to heart as they prepare to rejuvenate the great pyramids area, employing a company affiliated with the armed services to pick up the project that was abandoned in 2011.
CAIRO — Following years of disorder and neglect at Cairo’s great pyramids, Egypt is launching a renovation program to make the area safer, cleaner and easier to navigate for tourists, and more secure for its archaeological treasures.
Egyptian Minister of Antiquities Mamdouh al-Damaty has called on Queen, a national service company affiliated with the armed forces, to develop and renovate the site. A ministry official said the company has already visited the site numerous times in preparation and plans to begin work this month.
The source said the ministry has yet to declare the cost of the project, noting that the contract will be renewed annually.
Tourists have complained about vandalism and say they face harassment from persistent vendors peddling souvenirs. Videos posted online in early February show undercover footage of people stealing stones from the plateau to sell.
