Nasser Gaith al-Kuwari (centre) speaking about the new projects to be implemented in south Doha as John Drummie (right) looks on yesterday. PICTURE: Jayaram


By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter


Major works to upgrade the infrastructure in southern Doha,  particularly those aimed at providing better drainage networks, will be announced tomorrow by Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal).
At least 15 new projects, costing billions of  riyals, will be undertaken as part of the ambitious programme, under which works on three or four major projects would simultaneously be handled in different areas, including Wakrah, Mesaieed and the Industrial Area, said Ashghal Drainage Projects Department manager Nasser Gaith al-Kuwari yesterday.
The works of some of the major projects, covered under the plan, would start either towards the end of the year or early next year and most of them would have commissioned by 2019, said the Ashghal  official.
The new projects, he said, was being taken up after Ashghal-appointed teams, headed by reputable international consultants who had implemented similar projects elsewhere, carried out geological and hydrological studies in the past few months.
The new projects are expected to benefit at least 3mn people of Qatar in 2050, hoped al-Kuwari.
As part of the projects, a number of micro tunnels to ensure smooth flow of drainage water will be built in several parts of the country, including in the Industrial Area, which has been witnessing severe sewage water problem and intermittent flooding on account of inadequate drainage networks.
An effluent treatment plant, which will handle approximately 500,000 cubic metres of sewage waste, is  expected to be built as part of the new upgrade programme. The treated effluents will be utilised for irrigation activities elsewhere in the country.
The proposed plant, equipped with most advanced facilities in treating effluents, will be the fourth of its kind in the world, others being in the UK, Singapore and the UAE. It could also be perhaps the largest, said al-Kuwari.
Senior projects engineer John Drummie  explained significant features of the projects to be undertaken.