Doha: Different departments of the Ministry of Interior will intensify their work during the month of Ramadan, whether related to maintaining security, preventing untoward incidents as well as facilitating traffic which may face congestion during peak hours before and after Iftar.

Al Hajri pointed out that the Department will raise traffic awareness during Ramadan through many activities such as distribution of Iftar meals among drivers, providing lectures and meeting with community on mass Iftar programmes.

The General Directorate of Traffic usually offers free iftar meals to motorists to avoid accidents and the drive aims at controlling accidents mostly committed by hasty drivers during pre-Iftar rush hour, in particular, heavy vehicle drivers who tend to drive very fast to reach their destination before Iftar which is a major cause of accidents.

In a bid to reduce traffic jam during Ramadan, Traffic Department focuses more on commercial streets, commercial areas and markets, he said adding that Department will monitor the movement of trucks during peak hours. Last year, the department banned the entry of trucks and heavy vehicles into Doha city during the following times; 7.30am to 9.30am, 12.30pm to 3pm and 6pm to 12pm.

Also the patrols of Al Fazaa are working round-the-clock to maintain security and to prevent anything that might harm the security and safety of the citizen. In the month of Ramadan, Al Fazaa patrols continue their tasks more actively.

Major Naif bin Faleh Al Thani, Al Fazaa Police Department Director, said that Al Fazaa is intensifying its patrols in all regions of the country,  indicating that there are peak times when the movement of people and patrols in the street and these times are before Iftar and after Taraweeh prayers. The patrols are ready to respond quickly to any emergency.

Regarding the efforts of the General Directorate of Civil Defense, head of media and awareness section at the Directorate General of Civil Defense, Major. Jabir Mohammed Al Marri, said that achieving safety and providing civil protection for individuals and institutions of the country is one of the first concerns of the Civil Defense.

On how to avoid fire incidents during Ramadan, he said that among the most important safety measures for children is to keep them away from kitchens during the cooking process. He added that the presence of electrical wires in one location randomly leads to the risk of fire because of the possibility of electrical contact between the wires.

An official at the civil defense inspection department said that the causes of the fires incidents which are frequent in Ramadan and in the summer include use of counterfeit electrical appliances and negligence of safety measures by some families. Regarding commercial markets, he said that there are inspection raids to ensure that all the required conditions are met, and such drives prove very productive.

On the readiness of the department, Assistant Director of the Central Operations Department, Major Abdullah Al Hail, said that the department is responsible for dealing with all communications round the clock throughout the year.

The directors of the security departments of the Ministry of Interior have urged citizens and residents to follow all instructions and abide by the various regulations and rules that guarantee their safety and security in homes, roads, and markets, in order to ensure security and peace for all during the holy month of Ramadan.