Nod for second phase of Hamad International Airport expansion

The deadline for awarding the design contract for the second phase of airport expansion is set for the fourth quarter of 2015.

QNA/Doha

HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday approved the launch of the second phase of airport expansion by Hamad International Airport's steering committee, with the fourth quarter of 2015 set as deadline for awarding the design contract, completing the design works and deciding the budget of the second phase. This came at a meeting the Prime Minister held at the Emiri Diwan with a number of Cabinet members to discuss proposed solutions and decisions in the field of public transport in line with the directives of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. At the outset of the meeting, HE the premier stressed the necessity that the ministers meet the dates of execution and delivery plans of projects related to development and economic improvement. He highlighted the necessity of co-ordination between the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning to conclude the land allocation project in order to ensure the success of public transport plan and projects in the shortest time possible, with the allocation process to be finished by February. HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser recommended that the Ministry of Transport accelerates the execution of public transport plans and continuously develop them in order to ease traffic density. The premier stressed that the Ministry of Transport must submit details of a proposed budget to complete all the phases of the new port project and the awarding of its global operator before the end of the first quarter of 2015, and that the project is concluded according to the preset schedules. He added also in this regard that the ministry must be committed to open Al Ruwais Port before February 1 and work side by side with the Ministry of Economy and Commerce to co-ordinate with the Foreign Ministry's working team on the port to design a highly-efficient plan to operate the port and the services areas associated with it. Meanwhile, HE the Prime Minister stressed the importance that the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning and the Ministry of Environment suggest the appropriate lands for the complex of Qatar Aeronautical College, Gulf Helicopters and the pilots club. He also directed that preparing the location of the truck parking project is completed as soon as possible with the Ministry of Transport assuming supervision of the project and committing to fixed dates of delivery and operation.