Call to move Street 10 car market to Barwa

By Ramesh Mathew/Staff ReporterWith residents finding it difficult to access the evening used car market on Street 10 of Doha’s Industrial Area during weekends due to heavy traffic congestion and bad roads, the demand to relocate - or at least temporarily shift - to a more convenient venue is growing.The options suggested include Barwa Village and its immediate neighbourhood as they feel it will be a lot easier to reach these places and conduct business there due to the easy availability of space.Residents said it is difficult to access the used car market because of the busy roads in Industrial Area.“Not only is access to the used cars market highly congested, but the roads are in a deplorable condition,” said Saleem Mohamed, who frequents the place for business, adding that it was particularly difficult for newcomers in Doha to reach the place in the evening owing to the poor lighting and recurring traffic jams. While there is heavy traffic in Industrial Area through the day, Mohamed points out that the situation becomes worse in the evening when trailer movement increases.Residents feel Barwa Village is a much better option due to the availability of parking as well as easy road access.According to a city businessman, the used car market has been functioning in the area for more than 25 years - from “1986 or 1987”.  “Before that, the weekend market for second-hand vehicles was located near Al Murrah.”  The entrepreneur believes that the business of used cars will attract more customers and gain considerably if it is shifted to Barwa Village.“People are avoiding the market in Industrial Area due to its inaccessibility, besides civic problems such as poor roads and inadequate lighting,” he said.Tenants at Barwa Village, too, feel that their business will improve if the used car market is shifted there as more people will visit the area. “There is also the advantage of turning the evening used car business into a daily activity run in a professional manner,” said a shopkeeper at Barwa Village. “Unlike what is happening now, there is no need to use a public address system at Barwa Village as there is enough space for customers to park their vehicles for sale,” he said.Sources in the country’s auto accessories sector said their business, too, could benefit if all used car showrooms and accessory retailers moved to Barwa Village. “The easy availability of parking can enhance our operations. Customers will have enough space to park their vehicles at Barwa Village,” said a retailer who currently operates from near Crazy Signal. Some traders suggest that the authorities can also consider shifting the used car market temporarily to Barwa Village on an experimental basis. “Once there is a improvement in trading there, the market can be permanently shifted so more people can visit in the evening,” said Shahid Khan, a shop operator at Barwa Village.