National Day: Ashghal Builds Qatar's Future

Doha, December 12 (QNA) - Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has been busy with several projects throughout the past year, varying between highways, bridges, tunnels and multi-level intersections. Ashghal has finished the construction work of 34 highways extending over 980 km and 240 intersections, some of which at four levels, in a bid to improve traffic flow in the country. Salwa Road is the most prominent achievement of Ashghal with construction work starting back in 2010. The continuity of traffic flow was taken into consideration during the three-year period so as to keep the confusion caused by the project at minimum. The project comprised the construction of a 7-km road with four lanes on each side, a service road and four two-level intersections. Lusail highway is one of the biggest ongoing Ashghal projects as it links Doha to Lusail's fast-growing facilities. It is set to finish in the third quarter of 2015. Another major project is the Al-Wakra parallel highway, which links Shamal to Mesaieed, and features an 11-km road with five lanes on each side and a four two-level intersections as well as pedestrian and cycle lanes. A ring road linking Mesaieed and Al-Wakra has two lanes, one of them branching out to Al-Mazrouaa at Umm Salal and the other to Al-Khor and then Ras Laffan. The road also is linked to Hamad International Airport and the new port. As for domestic roads and drainage works, Ashghal is currently working on about 200 projects spread over five regions in the country, including Northern Qatar, Southern Qatar, Northern Doha, Southern Doha. Consultance firms were appointed to oversee the design and implementation of these projects. Thanks to Ashghal's keenness on reaching world standards, roads have seen major developments in 2012-13. One of the main achievements is the Corniche project that saw roundabouts converted to intersections with light signals in order to enhance the traffic flow from and to West Bay, and between the southern and northern parts of Doha. The QR200-million project was executed in record time and ahead of schedule, significantly improving traffic flow in this vital region. In external roads, Ashghal is expanding and improving the 23-km road linking Salwa Road and Mesaieed Industrial City so as to accommodate the heavy traffic in the area. Ashghal will tender during the first quarter of 2014 Sewerage project which is estimated to exceed QR 10 billion to upgrade the sewerage infrastructure in the southern part of Doha. The Programme will provide a long-term wastewater treatment solution to serve the needs of South Doha to accommodate the projected population growth of an additional one million people in Doha's oldest area. The Authority had started the work on seven new healthcare projects, including the construction of additional operation rooms at Hamad General Hospital, in addition to five healthcare centres at Al Nuaim, Al Muntazah, Al Karaana, Al Roda and Al Ghuwairiyah, and the construction of a health and wellness centre in Umm Slal with a total value of QR 1.2 billion. In the healthcare sector, Ashghal is also building an infectious diseases unit at Al Rumailah Hospital. In the education sector, The Public Works Authority Ashghal today announced in last July the start of construction work on 44 educational institutions for all age groups with a total value of QR 2 billion. Projects include building 29 new schools and 15 new kindergartens, distributed across the country's various villages and suburbs, which are all expected to be completed in Q4 of 2014. Ashghal also continues its efforts to implement future huge projects, including a project to develop The New Doha Zoo, which is one of the most prominent and complicated construction projects. The Doha Zoo will be a prominent touristic attraction, and an important entertainment destination that attracts visitors locally and internationally. Ashghal is also keen on launching several initiatives and effective programs at the national level. In co-ordination with the National Committee for Traffic Safety, the authority launched the National Strategy for Traffic Safety which aims at minimizing the number of road accidents and reducing the annual road crash fatalities and serious injuries in the state by 2022 in a step towards achieving Qatar's long-term vision for traffic safety. Complementing the development system, Ashghal established a research and development centre in in Najma area to improve the quality of construction across the country. (QNA)