New road ‘giving users nightmares’

By Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter

It has been found that the last 400m of the nearly 1.7km stretch of the two-lane per side road, starting from the new signal on the Doha-Industrial Area Road up to the next signalled intersection, has been witnessing a large number of accidents ever since it was opened to traffic a few weeks ago.

Interestingly, most of the accidents took place in the direction of the signalled intersection at the turn heading towards Barwa City. During a visit to the spot on Friday, it was found that at least three collisions involving vehicles passing through the area were reported in the afternoon alone.

Speaking to Gulf Times, a daily commuter on the route said more accidents were being reported on weekends, especially Fridays, when hundreds of vehicles pass through the area to reach the church complex. While no major accident had been reported, it was learnt that some occupants of the vehicles involved in accidents sustained injuries. One of them said he could not recall a day without accidents on the route.  

While highlighting the necessity of installing traffic signs along the route, commuters say the absence of clear signs along the stretch is making some some drivers indifferent. The road serves as an important link, connecting the western parts of Doha with places in the neighbourhood of Al Wakrah and Mesaieed.

There is not a single signpost along the route to warn commuters and the stretch leading towards the Barwa Complex appears a lot smoother than many other roads built in recent months, says a resident of the Barwa Masaken complex, who drives through the road daily. “The other side, heading towards the Industrial Area, appears slightly rough. This makes people more cautious,” he added.

The road users feel that deploying adequate traffic police personnel along the stretch will help reduce accidents.

Sources also say the movement of trailers along the route, especially when there is heavy traffic in the morning and later in the evening, is also a cause for concern among commuters.

According to a recent statement of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), the new interchange connecting the East-West Corridor (under construction near the Religious Complex) is expected to take at least nine more months for completion and hence the traffic movement through the current alternative route is expected to rise in coming days.

While lauding the initiatives of the country’s traffic authorities as part of the National Traffic Safety Awareness campaigns, residents also feel there is a greater need to ensure the safety of road users.