Doha Central Development and Beautification Project Shows Qatari Identity to World Cup Guests

Doha Central Development and Beautification Project

HE President of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi underlined that the Doha Central Development and Beautification Project seeks to maintain the Qatari identity ahead of hosting the country's guests for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, as well as linking the internal areas for pedestrians with each other and linking them externally with the surrounding areas; creating new areas for users; and restoring archaeological areas.

In remarks on the sidelines of a visit by a number of Qatari and FIFA officials to the project, HE the President of Ashghal explained that the beautification of central Doha and the Corniche Street aims to "humanize" the city and making the area vibrant by giving priority to people and pedestrians, promoting healthy lifestyles and reducing dependence on vehicles, alongside with beautifying the main streets and residential areas and preserving the environment.

She is Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of Beautification of Roads and Public Places in Qatar Eng. Sara Kafood said that the central Doha area and the Corniche Street are among the most important tourist, vibrant and cultural landmarks in the country. Therefore, the Committee paid special attention to this project when planning its development process, so that it appears in a way that reflects its tourism and cultural significance.

She noted that the Committee was keen to decorate the waterfront with light poles in the shape of palm fronds to reflect the Qatari cultural heritage. In addition, the Committee paid attention to construct pedestrian tunnels and squares with the aim of facilitating the movement of area pioneers between the Corniche and the area connected to the tunnels, while adding an aesthetic imprint on those tunnels and squares with artwork and sculptures for a number of Qatari and resident artists; in addition to the establishment of a number of coffee shops directly overlooking the sea, making the experience of Corniche visitors more distinctive.

Eng. Eng. Sara Kafood pointed to the establishment of pedestrian and bicycle paths to become a healthy and safe outlet for visitors to the area and to encourage them to exercise, in addition to increasing green areas and planting trees, and paving the streets with natural stones in a way that reflects the archaeological character and historical depth of the area.

Eng. Abdullah Nasser Al Nuaimi, the Director of the Doha Central Development and Beautification Project - Package One, shed light on the challenges Ashghal faced during the implementation of the project including the high level of groundwater, which required the operation of a large number of suction pumps continuously and injecting the soil with special materials to support it, in addition to the poor nature of the soil which constituted an obstacle to the rapid progress of underground drilling machines. Moreover, the project was located in an old, crowded and populated area. Securing the safety of the areas visitors and taking into account the provision of entrances for shop owners there slowed down the completion of work and made it difficult for heavy equipment to enter the area.

Eng. Al Nuaimi explained that the infrastructure works for the project included the implementation of a 12 km-long rainwater drainage network, the expansion of the water tank volume to 12,750 cubic meters, the construction of electricity, water, irrigation, sewage and communications networks with a length of 23.9 km, the installation of 48 columns for security cameras, and re-paving the asphalt along the Corniche Street entirely.

He noted that the beautification works included the maintenance and planting of many trees and green spaces in order to raise the quality of life and improve the general landscape of the area, in addition to its contribution to reducing temperatures and providing a healthy environment within residential neighborhoods and vital gathering places.

In this context, he pointed to the establishment of more than 137,000 square meters of green areas, and planting 940 trees and 920 palm trees, while preserving the environmental heritage of the palm trees located on the Corniche Street because of their environmental and social importance. In addition, 1,360 trees were planted and more than 17,000 square meters of green areas were establishment in Central Doha.

Eng. Al Nuaimi also pointed to the provision of pedestrian and bicycle paths that link all vital centers in the area, and a 7-km-long running track that links the Airport Road and Ras Bu Aboud path up to the Lusail Road, in addition to establishing 1 km-long pedestrian and bicycle paths in Central Doha designed for use by people with special needs.

He noted that the Corniche was decorated with 1440 light poles in the shape of a palm frond, in line with the palm trees extending along the Corniche, in addition to providing 655 lighting poles with a distinctive character in Central Doha area.

It is noteworthy that the Doha Central Development and Beautification Project included the provision of a large number of underground parking spaces for more than 7,700 cars in different places, in addition to the construction of three tunnels for pedestrians and bicycles linking the Corniche and the city of Doha, and the construction of the Museum of Islamic Art tunnel dedicated to pedestrians.
The project is currently working on the construction of a fifth pedestrian tunnel, the Khalifa Tunnel, which connects the Corniche metro station and the area adjacent to the tennis and squash courts in Doha, as well as the implementation of three squares - Al Dafna, Al Corniche and Al Bidaa - each of them is connected to a pedestrian tunnel that connects the Corniche with the city of Doha.

The Corniche development and beautification project also included the provision of several coffee shops and some service facilities such as restrooms equipped with potable water coolers and praying areas and display screens.

(QNA)