By Ayman Adly/Staff Reporter
Ashghal will start implementing a “huge” infrastructure development project in the Industrial Area in the first quarter of next year, a senior official said yesterday.Other major infrastructure projects are scheduled for Al Khor and Madinat Al Shamal.Briefing the Central Municipal Council (CMC) members about the ongoing and future projects under the Public Works Authority, Suad Ali al-Tamimi, director of road projects at the authority said the Industrial Area is in need of a total infrastructure development. He did not elaborate.Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has stressed its keenness to involve the Central Municipal Council (CMC) and its members in all its projects and to update them accordingly on the related developments.Ashghal president Nasser al-Mawlawi, accompanied by a senior team of department managers, was hosted yesterday at the CMC bi-weekly regular session in response to a previous invitation by the council. Al-Mawlawi affirmed Ashghal would implement all development and infrastructure works assigned to it in the country, and said the organisation constantly devises changes in its programmes to better achieve targets. Further, he pointed out that Ashghal is very keen to keep the CMC informed about the infrastructure projects.“His Excellency the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Urban Planning is also keen that we maintain co-operation with the council,” he said. Al-Tamimi, director of road projects department at Ashghal gave a presentation on the ‘Local roads and drainage programme.’ He explained that this programme was designed last year for infrastructure projects in all areas of the country. The duration of the programme is 5-7 years and it divides the country into five areas: Qatar North, Qatar South, Doha North, Doha West and Doha South. Five international consultative companies were assigned the projects at the five areas with an estimated cost of QR50bn. The number of the projects presently is 200. Al-Tamimi pointed out that the projects are executed on a priority basis. Areas with high level of ground water constituting risks to inhabitants and buildings, and areas without drainage as well as new areas that need service upgrading are taken up first. Among the projects scheduled, he listed an infrastructure project at the Industrial Area and revealed that this area is in need of an almost complete infrastructure overhaul and added that the project is a huge one. He revealed that it is expected to commence in the first quarter of next year. Other major infrastructure projects are scheduled for Al Khor and Madinat Al Shamal. There is also a project to upgrade sanitary drainage networks in the country, in accordance with an assessment that has been conducted to treat the problem of high level ground water in various areas. The overall infrastructure of Doha is also among the main projects of the programme. Al-Tamimi also stressed Ashghal’s focus on providing necessary services and infrastructure to outer areas and villages, to encourage inhabitants to continue to stay there and ease congestion in Doha. He estimated the number of villages under study now at more than 15. Later, most CMC members praised the efforts of Ashghal and appreciated their positive interactions with the CMC. CMC member Hamad bin Lahdan al-Muhannadi queried about co-ordination with the Traffic Department in road works, to avoid accidents and to enhance traffic safety. In his reply, al-Mawlawi explained that the consultative companies that design a given project supervise its implantation and there is a programme for traffic safety. These companies have also been provided a traffic diversion safety manual, he said. CMC member Mohamed Saleh al-Khayarin raised the issue of beautification of areas’ and wanted depiction of local culture by Qatari artists. Al-Mawlawi agreed with him and said the practice was being followed at Ashghal in all its road projects. Regarding other projects such as parks, public gardens, schools and health centres, Al-Mawlawi explained that these projects are undertaken in co-ordination with the competent entities. Ashghal is only an implementer of such projects, he said.CMC chairman Saud al-Khinzab praised al-Mawlawi’s initiative and asked CMC members to attend the signing of contracts of projects in their constituency, get updates about the progress and to get introduced to the consultative and contracting companies that undertake such projects. “The members’ feedback should be taken into consideration because they all know their areas well.”Al-Mawlawi in his response said that the members are welcome and added that they would be invited for the inauguration of any project in their areas.