Preparing for New Academic Year, Ashghal Fulfills a Number of Key Projects

Doha, August 28 (QNA) - In light of government's directives and Qatar National Vision 2030, the Public Works Authority 'Ashghal' is keen on delivering integrated infrastructure and public buildings that serve all sectors in Qatar, including the educational field; Ashghal has fulfilled some projects in preparation for the new academic year 2018/2019. In a press statement today, Ashghal said it has accelerated the works of the projects that serve a lot of schools and provide safe passage to the students and opened partially Al Maadid Street in Al Maamoura Area and Al Qattara Street in Al Wakra. The construction is underway to open Shura and Fereej Kulaib intersections next week, the statement added. Ashghal has completed four projects in terms of the development of local roads and infrastructure for the different areas in 2018, including Rawdat Rashid, Bani Hajer North, Al Aziziya East and Rwadat Aba Al Hayran, reaching 28 projects. The upgrade works involves 18807 residential subdivisions and 1829 new land plots, creating easy access school goers. Ashghal has accomplished up to 500 kilometres of expressways till August 2018 which link the students living in the external areas to Doha and provides better traffic movement in Doha as well. As part of Ashghal's strategy of traffic safety and students' life in particular, Ashghal has achieved 171 new schemes as part of School Zone Safety Programme. And for educational facilities, Ashghal implemented new requirement for fire protection in 33 schools in 2018. Ashghal has completed the construction of 73 school and 37 kindergartens in and around Doha since 2013 and constructed research and educational facilities like the Aqauatic Research Centre that serve Qatar University and the ministry of Municipality and Environment along with establishing Medical Simulation Centre "Itqan" that grants good space for research and training for surgeries besides QU College of Medicine students and other medical staff. As for the external areas, the completion of new highways such as Dukan Road serves students from areas west of Qatar such as Al Sheehaniya, Lejmiliya, Leatooriya and Rawdat Rashed. The opening of the G-Ring Road and the southern part of the Doha Expressway are a breakthrough for students in the southern areas where students living in Al Wakrah and Al Wukair can access Qatar University or Education City in record time. The opening of large parts of the orbital road serves thousands of students as well, serving thousands pf students and reducing the travel time between the South and the North by more than 50% where students can reach the Education City, the Community College or Qatar University directly. The route extends from Mesaieed in the south to intersect with a number of major roads in the country such as Al Wukair Road, G-Ring Road, Al Sailiya Road, Dukhan Road, Al Rufaa Street, Al Shamal Road towards Lusail and Al Khor and Ras Laffan on the other side. Ashghal has opened an extension of Rawdat Al Khail Extension Street (Industrial Area Road), which includes the industrial road and parts of the Central Market Street. This has contributed to easing traffic congestion in surrounding areas such as Bu Hamur, Mesaimeer and Ain Khalid, which has a lot of nearby schools. According to Ashghal, three different sectors have had a significant share in the recent period, namely Qatar University, North Atlantic College and the Community College in Qatar, as well as many nearby schools whether in Duhail or Dafna and the West Bay and nearby areas, where the Public Works Authority opened roads which serve thousands of students every day, including Lusail Expressway, which connects the traffic coming from the heart of Doha towards Qatar University and shortens the travel time by more than 70 percent. The completion of Al Shamal Road Enhancement project has achieved a great traffic flow for those coming from West Doha such as Al Gharafa, Al Rayyan, Al Kharaitiyat and Umm Slal coming from Al Shamal Road through the completion of the Izghawa, Al Kharaitiyat, Al-Khaissa and Umm Salal Mohammed Interchanges. Ashghal has developed the streets leading to the three parts, where the development of Al Duhail traffic coming from all parts of Doha, where the development and expansion of large parts of the Arab League Street and the streets of Duhail Al Tarfa Street, Qtaifan Street, Wadi Al-Jaiah Street and Shafalahiyah Street as well as Al Khafji Street, that has been expanded and turned into intersections with light signals, which achieved a great flow for people coming from Al Duhail intersection and Al Shamal Road. The Education City is particularly important as it receives thousands of students daily studying at many international and local universities and colleges. The Public Works Authority has opened a number of projects, which provide smooth traffic, including Khalifa Avenue, which opened 4 lanes from the main road, with a length of more than 6 km and Gharafat Al Rayyan Interchange and key Bani Hajar Interchange which connects Doha and Al Rayyan through its connection to Al Rayyan Road, which was opened in the first phase. In its statement, Ashghal pointed that parts of the project have been opened to facilitate safe entry and exit for students to schools in the area. Many parking spaces have been provided. Al Ma'adid street project aims to increase the capacity of the street, as a result of the presence of a large number of public and private schools in addition to a driving school. The project also aims to facilitate the traffic on the side roads by providing five roundabouts, in addition to enhancing traffic safety for road users through the provision of service roads for schools, as well as safe entrances and exits to schools and residential facilities and the allocation of more than 1000 parking spaces on both sides of the road to serve schools and residents in the area. Ashghal has developed and opened Al Qattara Street with a length of 1.4 km and one lane in each direction linking it to Wakra Hospital Street to facilitate access to Qatar Academy which is part of Qatar Foundation that is scheduled to open at the beginning of the new academic year. It is planned to connect Al-Qattara Street north of Abu Al Hairan Street and complete the remaining parts of Abu Al Hairan Street to ensure traffic flow and quick access from the Academy to the highway and vice versa. Ashghal is currently working on the development of Al Shura intersection, which aims at increasing the number of lanes at the intersection in all directions from three to four, which will lead to increased traffic flow at the intersection. The project also includes the construction of a rainwater drainage network and a new drinking water line to serve Hamad Hospital, as well as the renovation of some old water lines at Al Rayyan Street, which serves the citizens in the neighboring areas, as well as the construction and renovation of the communications network at Al Rayyan Street. The entire project is expected to be completed in the last quarter of 2018. The intersection includes several schools, including Al Bayan Primary School, Doha English-speaking School and Amna Bent Wahab High School. The project includes the transformation of the Freej Kulaib roundabout and the old traffic roundabout into traffic signals and increasing the capacity of the road with the development of Al Jazeera intersection. (QNA)