Doha: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has planned 55 new road and infrastructure projects with a total budget of QR18.8bn for 2019, announced  Eng Saad bin Ahmad Al Muhannadi, President of Ashghal, yesterday.

Addressing a seminar, Al Muhannadi said: “Ashghal’s plan is based on the directives of Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, which emphasise the need to focus on the infrastructure projects in new and existing sub-divisions and to complete them on time with the required quality.”

Al Muhannadi was speaking at third industry-briefing seminar organised by Ashghal on its current and upcoming infrastructure projects in new and existing subdivisions. During the seminar, Ashghal gave presentation about the local roads and drainage projects that will be tendered during 2019, in addition to projects that are currently under construction.

Eng Saoud Al Tamimi, Roads Projects Department Manager, said that Ashghal’s infrastructure and road project plans in 2019 include 32 projects, which are to be implemented in the existing and new subdivisions with a total budget of QR15.8bn. “Another 23 projects are for developing local roads with a budget of QR3bn,” said Al Tamimi.

He added that Ashghal is currently implementing 14 projects serving about 16,000 subdivisions in 10 areas including south Al Wukair, Al Kharaitiyat, Izghawa, Al Ebb, Leabaib, Al Foroush, north Al Nasiriyah, west Al Mashaf and Muaither, with a budget of QR6.5bn.

Ashghal has paid special attention to the infrastructure projects in the existing and new subdivisions throughout the country starting 2017. Ashghal has delivered 15 projects in 2017 and 2018 in 11 residential areas, including Al Wakra West, Rawdat Al Hamama, Al Mashaf East, and Al Wukair North in addition to several road and drainage projects.

Projects implemented in 2018 included serving about 3,900 subdivisions comprising road works of about 175km, and 290km of pedestrian and cycle paths as well as drainage networks of more than 125km, and storm water network with a length of more than 285km. Many companies related to the construction industry attended the seminar including contractors, suppliers, manufacturers and consultants in addition to individuals from governmental and non-governmental institutions who are interested in Ashghal’s plans for the year 2019 in regards to roads and infrastructure projects.

The Industry Briefing event started with a speech by Eng Saad bin Ahmad Al Muhannadi, President of Ashghal.

He thanked H E the Prime Minister and Interior Minister of for his unlimited support and giving priority to the infrastructure projects in new and existing sub-divisions. The president also stressed on the authority’s keenness on transparency with all contractors and informing them of its plan for future projects which helps them to prepare early to contribute to these projects.

The president of Ashghal also referred to the benefits of revisiting the contracts, which emphasized the importance of community outreach to reduce the construction impact on the daily lives of the public and the surrounding environment and increase public awareness.

Eng. Ahmad Ali Al Ansari, Technical Office Manager at Ashghal, stressed on Ashghal’s support for the small-scale contractors and small and medium enterprises. Where Ta’heel initiative is launched in June 2017 followed by workshops to help companies become eligible for Ta’heel, also Ashghal projects is giving priority to locally manufactured products. 104 companies have already been accredited through Ta’heel initiative, providing 141 certified and locally manufactured products.

Ashghal has launched a number of initiatives in regards to encouraging local contractors, enhancement to materials approvals by drafting an approved vendors list which is managed through the materials approval committee and planning ahead for long-lead items to avoid and mitigate delay to ongoing projects, also qualifying local contractors.

The is in addition to the ‘Constructing Excellence’ initiative that aims to support the construction industry in Qatar and to integrate scientific and technical expertise in the industry through collaborating with universities and research centers.

The seminar also included honouring a number of distinctive contractors in recognition for safety and new contract enhancements, where certificates were awarded to seven companies for their outstanding performance in the safety field, and five companies were awarded certificates of recognition for their excellence in implementing the new contract enhancements.

In this regard, Sheikh Ali Bin Hamad Al Thani, Chairman of Hamad Bin Khalid Contracting Company and QBS International, said that today’s meeting has contributed significantly to provide awareness of the projects that will be tendered this year and the areas to be developed.

He also praised Ashghal’s support for the local manufacturers and product, which contributed to the faster completion of projects. He noted that Ashghal’s recognition of outstanding contractors is a good gesture to encourage other contractors to comply with the standards of the authority.

Mohammed Al Khlaifi from Qatar National Broadband Network stressed on the importance of continuous communication between Ashghal and the contractors and responding to their inquiries, pointing out that such seminars, in which the new projects plan is demonstrated, in advance of being tendered, will contribute to the preparation of the Ashghal’s project requirements.