The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced that it will launch projects worth QR70bn ($19 billion) in the next five to eight years.
While QR45bn would be spent on road projects, QR25bn has been set aside for major sewage projects. Ashghal would launch 22 major road projects during the period, revealed Nasser Al Mowlawi, Acting General Manager, Ashghal.
The projects are being envisaged to meet the demands of the countrys future growth as visualized by the General Secretariat for Development Planning. Once these projects are completed, Qatar will have world-class roads and sewage networks, he said.
Mowlawi said the Emir, H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Heir Apparent, H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, were closely monitoring the progress of the project works.
Top Ashghal officials visited the Heir Apparent and the prime minister on separate dates and briefed them on the major proposed projects of Ashghal, Mowlawi said.
A detailed presentation of the projects was made before the Heir Apparent on February 24, 2010. Ashghal officials also explained future projects to the prime minister on February 2, 2010. The officials also briefed him about the details of the tendering process, Mowlawi said.
Local companies are free to bid for contracts in the proposed projects.
Mowlawi said Ashghal would launch three major road projects in the coming month. The first project (Project VII) would cover the design of Rayyan Street, Khalifa Street and Al Busthan Street. The second project (Project VIII) is related to the designing of E-Ring Road and the Central Market roads. The third project (Project IX) will cover the designing of Al Farussia, Hewar and Al Khafji streets.
The tenders for these projects were floated in October 2009.
Ashghal has also signed agreements with some internationally reputed companies for maintaining its key arterial roads.
Ashghals Smart Transportation System to monitor and control the traffic on busy streets, is expected to be launched by the end of this year. The project, scheduled to be implemented in a phased manner, would be completed in three to five years, Mowlawi said.
Once this system is in place, motorists can commute between Al Khor and the New Doha International Airport within 35 minutes, he said.
The Peninsula
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