Author

* New bridge provides free-flowing traffic between Al Khafji St and Al Gharrafa St and connects West Bay, Al Markhiya, Madinat Khalifa and Duhail with Al Gharrafa and Al Rayyan    Eng. Yousef Abdulrahman Al Emadi, Projects Affairs Director    Badr Mohamed Darwish, Assistant Manager of Highway Projects Department The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) on Saturday announced the opening of the Duhail-Al Gharrafa bridge and a section of the traffic signals within the Duhail Interchange Development Project on Shamal Road. The opening comes six months ahead of schedule and coincides with the opening of schools for the new, 2020-2021 academic year. Ashghal began implementing this project in the first quarter of 2019. Consisting of a 400m three-lane dual carriageway to accommodate about 12,000 vehicles per hour on both directions, the bridge will provide free-flowing traffic between Al Khafaji Street and Al Gharrafa Street and reduce travel time by 95% from West Bay, Al Markhiya, Madinat Khalifa and Duhail towards Gharrafat Al Rayyan, Al Gharrafa and Al Rayyan.  Ashghal has stressed that the remaining parts of the Duhail Interchange project are scheduled to open in September, within 18 months from the start of works on the project. Dignitaries present at the opening included Yousef al-Emadi, Projects Affairs director; Bader Darwish, Highway Projects Department assistant manager; Mubarak bin Freish Mubarak Alsalem, CMC member (Constituency No 15); Ali bin Khalaf Majrin al-Kubaisi, CMC member (Constituency No 3); and other officials from Ashghal and the contracting company. PICTURES: Ram Chand Supplied picture A section of the traffic signals under North Bridge have also been opened in addition to the Duhail Al-Gharrafa Bridge. So, commuters from Al Shamal Road can directly access Duhail and West Bay through Al Khafji Street and vice-versa, while those from Al Gharrafa can directly reach Al Shamal Road and vice-versa. Passengers along Al Gharrafa Street, Al Khafji Street and Shamal Road can take a U-turn after the opening of all U-turn exits on all streets. Due to its strategic location at the northern entrance of Doha city on Shamal Road, the new openings on Duhail Interchange will enhance traffic flow in the region by providing alternative routes to schools, Qatar University and the College of the North Atlantic-Qatar and Education City. It will also serve commuters heading to commercial entities in the region. Further, the openings will provide alternative traffic routes at the Izghawa and Umm Lekhba interchanges, which are being developed within the Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor project, resulting in reduced traffic congestion at two vital interchanges. Al-Emadi stressed Ashghal's project works are continuing without any interruptions despite the blockade and Covid-19, and strong evidence of this can be found in the opening of the Duhail Al-Gharrafa Bridge and traffic six months before schedule. Darwish said the Duhail Interchange will bring about a radical change in traffic flow once it’s completed. “The new bridge will help shorten distance and save travel time by more than 95% after renovation of the Duhail Interchange. Previously, road users had to use the congested, signalised Duhail Roundabout,” he noted. Assistant project manager Sheikha al-Mansoori said 75% of works on Duhail Interchange have been completed in record time. “The remaining works are continuing in full swing to end the project in 2021,” she added. She also noted that the opening of the Duhail Al-Gharrafa Bridge and a section of traffic lights at the interchange coincides with the start of the new academic year, as the area houses many schools and other educational institutions. The Duhail Interchange is located in a densely populated and commercially important location as it houses many government institutions, educational and health facilities as well as commercial entities and shopping centres. The interchange will reduce the traffic pressure on Doha Expressway, especially in the Duhail and Al Gharrafa areas, and provide free-flowing vehicular movement in the area. The project includes construction works for 3.3km of road network and development of an old interchange. It covers the construction of a bridge consisting of a three-lane dual carriageway connecting Al Khafji Street and Al Gharrafa Street along with the development of parts of the two streets, installing a traffic signal under the North Bridge to provide commuters on Shamal Road with accesses to Duhail and Al Gharrafa, construction of an underpass that facilitates access for commuters from Shamal Road towards service roads and commercial complexes and another service road for commuters from Al Gharrafa Street towards Al Shamal Road. The works also include removal of the roundabout known as Sheikh Faisal Roundabout and link Al Gharafa Road with Al Mashabiya Street. The project also includes the construction of bicycle and pedestrian paths of about 5.5km stretching from Duhail to Al Gharrafa and parts of Shamal Road, besides works to develop rainwater drainage and sewage network. Ashghal began implementation works on this project in the first quarter of 2019. In December 2019, it opened the North Bridge after providing five lanes towards the north and four lanes towards Doha, replacing the previous three-lane bridge, thus achieving tremendous development in traffic flow in the crowded area.

With the Covid-19 restrictions being lifted, 200 additional mosques will host Friday prayers, the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has announced. The ministry has published the names, numbers and locations of the additional mosques where Friday prayers will be held from Friday (August 7). A total of 400 mosques are now available for Friday prayers. The ministry has asked the faithful to follow the safety measures. “All precautions and safety measures announced in the last phase of reopening are applicable,” a tweet by the Awqaf ministry said. For the Friday prayer, the mosques will be opened with the first prayer call, 30 minutes before Friday's sermon. They will be closed after 10 minutes of Friday prayers. The ministry has informed that social distancing will be applied to the Friday sermon and prayers. Women and children will not be allowed in the mosque during Friday prayers. Awqaf has urged persons with ailments and the elderly to perform the prayers at home. The ministry has asked all to abide by the restrictions. “Precaution is obligatory and commitment to precautionary measures helps us to win this epidemic. Do not shake hands even if you are wearing a glove,” a tweet by the ministry said earlier. The worshippers, according to the circular by the ministry, should cover mouth and nose while sneezing, wear face masks as long as they are in the mosques and make ablution at home because the bathrooms and ablution place of the mosques will be closed. The ministry has asked the faithful not to go to the mosques early as they will be opened only with prayer calls. The believers should maintain a distance of two meters from each other and not gather inside the mosque. The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has requested the worshippers to bring their own Mus’haf if they want to recite the Qur'an inside the mosque or make use of the applications available in mobile phones. “They should bring their own prayer mat and not share with others or leave it in the mosque,” MoPH has said. A total of 200 mosques were opened for Eid al-Adha prayers on July 31 while 401 mosques and prayer ground were available as well. In the first phase, a total of 500 mosques were reopened on June 15 while 299 mosques were made available for prayers in the second phase on July 1. As many as 300 additional mosques were opened on July 27.

Leaders of various expatriate communities have lauded the Our Eid Together initiative and hailed the Qatar government's keenness to ensure the welfare of all. The initiative, in its second phase, has come as a relief for thousands as they are given food and essential commodities during the occasion of Eid al-Adha. "The government pays much attention towards the communities and takes good care of them,” Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) president AP Manikantan said while describing the initiative as a testimonial for the good approach towards expatriates. The Our Eid is One initiative in its second phase has benefited as many as 50,000 residents in Qatar. Jointly launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the Ministry of Interior (MoI), the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA), Qatar Charity and Ooredoo, the initiative is implemented in co-operation with various community organisations. It was launched in order to help community members celebrate Eid at their homes and convey the importance of staying at their residences for the prevention of the spread of Covid-19. Hamid Rasool from Pakistani community hailed the initiative saying it made the Eid blessed for thousands by providing them relief and food. “Many have benefited. And we are working to ensure that the kits reach the right persons,” he said. Qatar residents from 17 nationalities benefited from 25,000 food coupons that provided them with necessary food items for the Eid. The coupons were distributed on the first day of Eid al-Adha at a function held in the headquarters of the Qatar Charity in Lusail. The embassies of Philippines, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Tunisia, Gambia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Kenya and expat community organisations including the Bangladeshi Community Organisation, the Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF), the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), the Cultural Forum, the Indonesian Community Association – Permica, the Indian Community Center, the Helping Hands - Al Khor, the Filipino Community in Qatar, the Non Resident Nepalese Association (NRNA), the Thrissur District Souhruda Vedi, the Kerala Cultural Center and the Sri Lankan Community Development Forum. Engineer Anwar Hossain Akon, president of the Bangladesh Community- Qatar (BCQ), hailed Qatar and said special arrangements have been made and volunteers are working to implement the scheme. “We have got applications from various parts of the country and beneficiaries have been identified. Kits are being distributed,” he said. Mohamed Muktda Musalman of the Non Resident Nepali Association said 1,000 kits were distributed among the community members and the community leadership is working to reach the rest of the beneficiaries. The Nepali community received a total of 2,250 kits. “We celebrate Eid through this initiative. And we are glad that the communities are provided with good care,” he said. Filipino Community leader engineer Henry Dimaano said Qatar is actively engaged in ensuring the welfare of all and is paying special care to the persons in need and the members of the expatriate communities. He said that Filipino representatives are working with Al Hilal, Al Wajba and Al Wakra Al Meera supermarkets where beneficiaries can receive the kits after filling the forms. Pantalion Perera, president of Sri Lankan Co-ordinating Committee, thanked the Qatar government and said the kits will be distributed to the beneficiaries through the Sri Lankan embassy. Noor Khan Al Afghani from the Afghani community thanked Qatar saying their members are working to reach out into the beneficiaries across the country. Omer Farah from Kenyan community said the initiative came at the right time and thanked the ministries and Qatar Charity for helping those in need. "The Kenyan embassy along with the community leaders has identified the beneficiaries and works are on to distribute them the food kits," he said. Tanzanian community leader Fatma Hassan, who expressed her gratitude to the authorities, said that the initiative will extend relief to the jobless persons in during the tough time. "Qatar deserves applause for doing its bit for the welfare of all. The country is keen to take care of all," she added.

A total of 401 mosques and prayer grounds across the country will host Eid al-Adha prayers, the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has informed. Awqaf has published the list of the mosques and prayer grounds on its social media accounts and asked the believers to follow the safety measures. The ministry also released the list of 200 mosques where Friday prayers will be held from July 31. Name, number and location of the mosque are available on the Twitter handle of the ministry. For the Friday prayer, the mosques, according to an Awqaf tweet, will be opened with the first prayer call, 30 minutes before Friday's sermon. They will be closed after 10 minutes of Friday prayers. The Ministry has informed that social distancing will be applied to the Friday sermon and prayers. Women and children will not be allowed in the mosque during Friday prayers. Awqaf has so far asked persons with ailments and old age to perform prayers at home. The ministry has asked all to abide by the restrictions. “Precaution is obligatory and commitment to precautionary measures helps us to win this epidemic. Do not shake hands even if you are wearing a glove,” a tweet by the ministry said earlier. The worshippers, according to the circular by the ministry, should cover mouth and nose while sneezing, wear face masks as long as they are in the mosques and make ablution at home because the bathrooms and ablution place of the mosques will be closed. The ministry has asked not to go to the mosques earlier because the mosques will be opened only with prayer calls. The believers maintain a distance of 2m and should not gather inside the mosque. The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has requested believers to bring their own Mus’haf if they want to recite the Qur'an inside the mosque or make use of the applications available in mobile phones. They should bring their own prayer mat and not share with others or leave it in the mosque. In the first phase, a total of 500 mosques were reopened on June 15 while 299 mosques were made available for prayers in the second phase on July 1. 300 additional mosques were opened Tuesday. And the Friday prayer was only held at the Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab in the presence of 40 worshippers, including the imam and the mosque's employees.

* For Velutha Parambath Soopi Haji, life in Qatar was 'all about dedication, helping others and showing kindness' The expatriate community in Qatar owes its gratitude to Velutha Parambath Soopi Haji, a long-time Qatar resident who died Monday, who often lent a helping hand to people in need, Haji’s friends and associates said. Haji was 70. He is survived by wife Fathima, sons Jaleel and Haris, and daughters Jaseena and Sumayya. One of the owners of Al Salihiya Restaurant, popularly known as 'Taxi hotel', in the Al Muntazah area of Doha, Haji breathed his last at his residence at Ummathur in Kozhikode district of Kerala. He had been undergoing treatment for cancer for the last few months. “For him, life in Qatar was all about dedication, helping others and showing kindness,” reminisced Qatar-based businessman and a member of the Kerala legislative assembly, Parakkal Abdulla. “He was glad to serve whenever social workers approached him seeking help. The late-1980s witnessed an influx of expatriates to Qatar. He served needy expatriates by helping them find jobs,” Parakkal recalled, adding that Haji's death is a personal loss for him. Haji started his career as a businessman in Doha in the late-1970s following in the footsteps of his father Abdulla, who started the restaurant in 1972. Known for his dedication, Haji ran the restaurant for decades and earned fame by making it a favourite destination of low-income workers, especially taxi drivers. “The restaurant turned out to be a hub for taxi drivers as it provided food at affordable rates through the day. Haji wanted to help the underprivileged get quality food round the clock. He never compromised when it came to the quality of food,” reminisced restaurant manager Muneer Puthiyapurayil, manager of the restaurant. While it earned the name 'Taxi hotel' due to its popularity among cabbies, the restaurant gradually emerged as the go-to place for many other residents as well -- particularly those looking for food at odd hours. Haji’s friends also recalled that none was denied food for not having enough money. A man of simplicity, dignity and high moral values, Haji lent a helping hand to expatriates in need. “He was helpful and also wanted all of us to lend a helping hand to the needy. He used to remind us to serve food at minimum prices and ensure all are served well. The restaurant remains a busy place, where taxi drivers and others come in large numbers to eat. This bears testimony to the virtues of Haji,” Puthiyapurayil added. Haji left for home eight months ago and was unable to come back due to his ailment. He was laid to rest in the Parakkadavu mosque grounds.

A total of 300 mosques in various parts of Qatar will be reopened in the third phase as part of lifting Covid-19 restrictions, the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has announced. The mosques will be open for believers from the dawn prayer Tuesday, July 28. The ministry has published the list of the mosques and asked believers to follow the directions given by the authorities to prevent the spread of Covid-19. People with ailments and the elderly have been asked to perform prayers at home. The mosques will be reopened at various areas including Ezgava, Umm Seneem, Al Salata Al Jadeeda, Umm Salal Ali, Umm Salal Mohamed, Umm Ghuwailina, Umm Qarn, Umm Lekhba, Bin Omran, Bin Mahmoud, Bu Sidra, Al Thumama, Al Jumailiya, Al Khor, Al Duhail, Al Rayyan Al Jadeed, Al Rayyan Al Qadeem, Al Sadd, Simaisma, Al Sailiya, Al Sheehaniya, Al Shamal, Al Azeeziya, Ain Kahled, Al Ghanem Al Jadeed, Al Gharrafa, Fereej bin Omar, Al Luqta, Madinat Al Shamal, Madina Khalifa South, Madina Khalifa North, Al Matar Qadeem, Hamad International Airport, Al Mamoura, Muaither South, Muaither North, Al Najma, Al Wakra and Al Wukair. The ministry has asked all to abide by the restrictions. “Precaution is obligatory and commitment to precautionary measures helps us to win the fight against this epidemic. Do not shake hands even if you are wearing a glove,” a tweet by the ministry said earlier. The worshippers, according to the circular by the ministry, should cover mouth and nose while sneezing, wear face masks as long as they are in the mosques and make ablution at home because the bathrooms and ablution place of the mosques will be closed. The ministry has asked people not to go to the mosques earlier because they will be opened only with prayer calls. The believers should maintain a distance of 2m and should not gather inside the mosque. They should bring their own prayer mat and not share it with others or leave it in the mosque. In the first phase, a total of 500 mosques were reopened on June 15 while 299 mosques were made available for prayers in the second phase on July 1. The believers can find the nearest reopened mosque by accessing this link .

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has achieved substantial progress in improving the healthcare infrastructure as part of its efforts to help Qatar achieve the National Vision 2030. Ashghal has so far completed the construction of health centres at Muaither, Al Wajba, Al Waab and Naufar and they have been handed over to the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH). This in addition to Al Ruwais Health Centre that has 48 clinics, 26 consulting rooms, five specialised consulting rooms, four dental clinics,10 dialysis units, a pharmacy, radiology facilities and a swimming pool. Ashghal also completed the construction of Hamad Medical Corporation's (HMC) ultra-modern simulation centre that helps healthcare professionals improve their skills and advance clinical techniques. The Hamad General Hospital Trauma and Emergency Department building was also handed over to HMC. Al Meshaf Health Centre is set for completion next year. Ashghal is currently working on the QR240mn National Health Laboratory at Mesaimeer. Once completed the laboratory will deal with infectious diseases monitoring and extend testing services including water and environmental tests. The project covers an area of 40,000 sq m and includes food safety and drug quality laboratories. The health centre at South Al Wakra will be handed over this year to MoPH while the centres at Al Sadd, Al Meshaf, Ain Khaled and Al Khor will be completed next year. Ashghal has set construction criteria by the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) and operational and architectural considerations taken to accomplish a three star environmental level in terms of energy saving and environment preservation. Solar energy is used for the purpose of in-house water heating and natural sunlight is used through panoramic roof windows to save a quite bit of electricity used in lights and to disinfect the place. Rational consumption of water inside and outside the building is ensured while green areas and landscapes are grown around the facility. The environment around is also preserved during the implementation of the project.

A total of 299 mosques across Qatar will be reopened in the second phase on July 1 Wednesday, except for Friday prayers, as part of easing the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions, the Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments) and Islamic Affairs announced Monday. In the first phase, 500 mosques were reopened. The ministry urged the faithful to follow the directives from the authorities to prevent the spread of Covid-19 while releasing the list of the mosques. “We are pleased to announce that more mosques will be opened in line with resuming activities in the second phase. The mosques will be available for believers from Fajr prayer on July 1,” a tweet by the ministry said. It was in March that the Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments) and Islamic Affairs ordered mosques to close and suspend the five obligatory congregational prayers and Friday prayers for the safety and well-being of worshippers as a preventive and precautionary measure to limit the spread of Covid-19. Only the Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab Mosque was exempted from this decision, where Friday prayers were held exclusively in the presence of 40 worshippers, including the imam and the mosque's employees. Mosques will be reopened at various areas including Abal Hayat, Ezghawa, Al Salata Al Jadeeda, Umm Al Zubar West, Umm Saneem, Ain Khaled, Umm Salal Ali, Umm Qarn, Umm Lekhba, Bin Omran, Bane Hajer, Bu Sidra, Bu Hamour, Umm Al Amad, Al Thumama, Al Sheehaniya, Al Jumailiya, Al Azeeziya, Al Khor, Al Kheesa, Al Duhail, Al Mamoura,Legataifiya, Al Sudan, Al Sailiya, Al Shamal, Al Ebb, Al Ghanim Al Jadeed, Al Gharrafa, Gharrafat Al Rayyan, Al Mirqab Al Jadeed, Mesaieed, Al Matar Al Qadeem, Madinat Khalifa North, Muaither South, Muaither North, Al Nasraniya, Al Nuaija, Al Wakra, Al Wukair and Al Wajba. The worshippers, according to a circular by the ministry, should cover their mouth and nose while sneezing, wear face masks as long as they are in the mosques and make ablution at home because the bathrooms and ablution place of the mosques will be closed. The ministry has asked the faithful not to go early to the mosques as they will be opened only with prayer calls. The worshippers should maintain a distance of 2m between each other and should not gather inside the mosque. They should also bring their own prayer mat and not share it with others or leave it in the mosque, the ministry added.

Qatar’s efforts to go green have taken an active turn with the Qatar General Electricity and Water Corporation (Kahramaa) looking to set up 200 to 500 charging points for electric cars across the country by 2022. "The charging points will be at shopping malls, residential areas, stadiums, parks and government offices," said engineer Mohamed Khalid al-Sharshani, head of the technical section at the National Programme for Conservation and Energy Efficiency (Tarsheed). Addressing Qatar TV, the official explained that Kahramaa aims to produce 700MW from solar panels by 2022. Engineer Mohamed Khalid al-Sharshani The electric charging stations will be established across Qatar in co-operation with various stakeholders including the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) and the Ministry of Transport and Communication (MoTC). Tarsheed, is also looking to raise the share of electric cars to 10% of the total cars sold in Qatar by 2022. Kahramaa had earlier announced that it has plans to achieve a significant goal of making 3-5% of the total car population in the country green by 2022. Last year, Kahramaa, represented by Tarsheed, launched Tarsheed Photovoltaic Station for Energy Storage and Charging Electric Vehicles at the Corporation’s Mesaimeer Complex. The station functions as a charging point for vehicles with electricity produced from solar energy via 216 photovoltaic panels that are divided into two areas with a total area of 270 sq m. The entire area is equal to the row for 24 cars’ spaces. The total power produced from these panels is 72 KW peak. The station contains a unit that has two connections of Combo and CHAdeMO types that are compatible with different types of vehicles. The unit allows two cars to be charged at a time with a rapid charging level of 15 – 20 minutes. The maximum charging capacity is 100 kw. The station also contains a power storage unit in a battery with a capacity of 170 kw/h. The charging cord of 100 kw is enough to charge three cars. The surplus energy is exported to the grid after charging the battery. Apart from the photovoltaic station at Mesaimeer, electric charging stations are functional at Qatar Scientific Club, Kahramaa Main Building, Kahramaa Awareness Park Building, Alfardan Towers, St. Regis Doha and Marsa Malaz Kempinski at The Pearl-Qatar.

It was a day of immense joy and fulfillment for Qatar-based Indian businessman Ahammed Iqbal who donated 1.5 acres of land in his native place to build houses for 15 families left homeless by floods last year. Karad, a village in Malappuram district of the southern state of Kerala, Sunday witnessed a function where the families received the keys to their new homes. Ahammed Iqbal “The smiles of gratitude gave me a feeling of delight. I am glad that I could uplift some flood victims from despair to happiness,” Iqbal told Gulf Times. After the land was handed over to the district administration, the 15 houses were built with funds contributed by M P Ramachandran, chairman of Mumbai-based Jyothy Laboratories Ltd. Iqbal recalled that the district administration had received several applications from many families whose houses were washed away in the deluge. The beneficiaries were selected after scrutiny and drawing lots. Most of the beneficiaries came from Kavalappara village that was wiped out by a massive landslide and flash floods on the night of August 8 last year. The natural calamity claimed 48 lives while leaving hundreds homeless. Iqbal, who was in Qatar during the deluge, approached the Kerala district administration expressing his readiness to extend a helping hand to the victims. On behalf of Iqbal, his friend Mujeebu Rahman handed over the documents to the district administration. “I simply wanted to do my part for the victims and stand with my people during the tough times. I have sufficient land and my religion allows me to take only three pieces of cloth when I depart,” he said, adding that his parents very often inspire him to help landless people. Kerala's Higher Education Minister K T Jaleel and magician Gopinath Muthukad handed over the keys to the beneficiaries.

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has completed 50% excavation works of the 10-km long outfall tunnel of Mesaimeer Pumping Station and Outfall project. According to a video by Ashghal on its official social media platforms, the project has achieved remarkable development and will be completed in the last quarter of 2021 at a total cost of about QR920mn. The outfall tunnel, is described as the longest of its kind in the world and an important step towards providing a sustainable solution for the discharge of surface and stormwater in the country. The project will accommodate surface and storm water volumes received from the drainage networks located in different areas in Doha. The water is treated according to the highest internationally approved specifications, and then pumped 10km away from the seashore via the Mesaimeer pumping station and outfall tunnel. The excavation of the outfall tunnel is at a depth of 15m below the seabed and about 3.7m in diameter and considered a “major construction challenge due to the variable geology that increases the exposure to unexpected conditions”. The main tunnel at Mesaimeer will connect the existing and future drainage networks. The tunnel will "operate to drain surface water from sub-networks located in different areas, spread over an estimated 170sqkm area, and minimise rainwater catchments, especially in tunnels, as it is connected with rainwater drainage networks in 22 tunnels" (for vehicles). The tunnel project will also decrease the surface water level and reduce pumping costs in construction projects across the country. Besides, it will help preserve the foundations of buildings by reducing waterlogging. The excavation is carried out using a highly specialised tunnel boring machine (TBM) that uses a technique called Earth Pressure Balance and designed to operate in a range of ground conditions in Qatar, and along the variable geology along the tunnel. The TBM machine incorporates advanced technologies that ensure the efficiency of the drilling process, providing the maximum safety standards for tunnel workers and operators, as well as monitoring the work execution through all its stages. The safety features include a “closed mode” feature, used in the case of ground deterioration to prevent water from entering the tunnel and thus protect the workers, in addition to rescue chambers that protect personnel during emergencies, fire detection and suppression, as well as emergency electricity generation systems.

Five hundred mosques across Qatar will be reopened in the first phase on June 15, the Ministry of Awqaf (Endowments) and Islamic Affairs announced on Thursday. The ministry has published a list of the mosques and urged the faithful to follow the directives from the authorities to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19). It was in March that the Ministry ordered mosques to close and suspend the five obligatory congregational prayers and Friday prayers for the safety and well-being of worshippers and as a preventive and precautionary measure to limit the spread of the virus. Only the Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab Mosque was exempted from this decision, where Friday prayers were held exclusively in the presence of 40 worshippers, including the imam and the mosque's employees. According to the ministry's announcement on Thursday, the mosques will be reopened at various areas including Abal Heeran, Bin Omran, Bu Sidra, Bu Hamour, Ezgava, Al Salata Al Jadeeda, Umm Saneem, Umm Al Amad, Umm Salal Ali, Umm Salal Mohamed, Gharrafat Al Rayyan, Umm Qarn, Umm Lekhba, Al Luqta, Bane Hajer, Bu Sidra, Al Khor, Al Kheesa, Al Ruwais, Al Rayyan Al Jadeed, Al Sadd, Al Sudan, Al Shahaniyya, Al Azeeziya, Onaiza, Ain Khaled, Al Gharrafa, Madinat Khalifa South, Legataifiya, Al Mirqab, Al Meshaf, Muaither South, Al Wajba, Al Hilal, Al Wakra and Al Wukair. The Ministry has asked all to abide by the restrictions. “Precaution is obligatory and commitment to precautionary measures helps us to win this epidemic. Do not shake hands even if you are wearing gloves,” the Ministry said in a tweet. The worshippers, according to a circular by the Ministry, should cover their mouth and nose while sneezing, wear face masks as long as they are in the mosques and make ablution at home because the bathrooms and ablution place of the mosques will be closed. The Ministry has asked the faithful not to go early to the mosques as they will be opened only with prayer calls. The worshippers should maintain a distance of 2m between each other and should not gather inside the mosque. They should bring their own prayer mat and not share it with others or leave it in the mosque. The faithful can locate the nearest reopened mosque by accessing the link https://www.islam.gov.qa/services/COVID19Mosques.aspx.

The ambassador of Bangladesh, Ashud Ahmed, has hailed Qatar saying the country has shown the way and given a lesson to the world on how to overcome challenges. “Ask Qatar how to respond to a siege and the country will teach how to overcome such difficulties. Qatar has shown exemplary courage in defeating the blockade,” Ahmed told Gulf Times. The envoy stressed that Qatar turned an adversity into an opportunity. “The country and its wise leadership dealt with the emergency in a novel way. Shortages were resolved and the government ensured the availability of essential commodities through timely intervention and by closely monitoring the developments,” he said. Eventually, Ahmed noted, the blockade helped Qatar take advantage of the crisis. The resultant multifaceted progress paved the way towards attaining self-sufficiency in various sectors, including production. “This can be termed as nothing short of a stepping stone in Qatar’s journey towards standing on its own feet,” he said. The ambassador said Qatar won the hearts of its expatriate community members by ensuring their welfare. “The issues faced by expatriates were equally considered and duly addressed by the leadership. From the authorities, the expatriates witnessed an approach that is the same as the one for citizens when it comes to welfare and meeting daily requirements,” he explained. According to the Bangladeshi envoy, his country played its part well by staying together with Qatar. “Bangladesh expressed its solidarity with Qatar and the expatriates here continued to work for the development of the country. Our workforce has been part of the FIFA 2022 World Cup projects and worked for their successful completion,” he said. They have contributed to the development of the country by working hard and abiding by the rules and regulations of the country, he added.

Infrastructure development has been on the fast track over the past few years, with the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) achieving a number of milestones during the journey. The blockade imposed three years ago has not been able to hamper infrastructure development in the country. This is because Ashghal, guided by the policies and decisions of the wise leadership, has turned a challenge into an opportunity by opting for local options while executing its projects. Ashghal's long list of accomplishments over the past few years include several highways, interchanges, internal roads, sewage networks, beautification projects, cyclist and pedestrian paths, conversion of roundabouts into signallised intersections and other infrastructure projects. It has completed a highway network of 790km, and made more than 95% of the highway network ready to serve the 2022 FIFA World Cup stadiums. Qatar has witnessed major road projects, such as Al Khor Road, Al Majd Road, Lusail Road, G-Ring Road and others, take shape since the blockade began. Eng Youssef al-Emadi, director of Projects Affairs at Ashghal, recently stressed that the authority’s projects were not affected by the blockade and that the pace of work continued in accordance with the plans. Ashghal relied heavily on the local factor by using materials made in Qatar and engaging local companies, achieving a tangible boom in the country’s infrastructure sector, he added. Eng Bader Darwish, Highway Projects Department manager, confirmed that Ashghal has completed the implementation of about 790km of the highway network, which is considered a “good testimony to the fact that the construction process was not affected by the unjust siege of about three years”. Ashghal has opened most of the highway network during the blockade period, which caused a “qualitative shift in the movement of goods and people in all parts of the country”, especially strategic areas, ports, Hamad International Airport, the Industrial Area and other vital facilities, he noted. He added that the prestigious Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor has witnessed several openings since its inception in 2019 with more than 70% of the vital road works having been completed. Also, 95% of the Khalifa Avenue project and 87% of the Mesaimeer Intersection have been completed while Qatar has also witnessed the opening of several bridges on Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor. Maintenance and re-paving of 500km of roads were carried by Ashghal in 2019 alone. Through the Traffic Safety Programme, Ashghal has developed safe-to-acceas roads in the vicinity of schools around the country. The Local Road Development and Infrastructure Projects by Ashghal have resulted in the opening of several roads, including the ones leading to Al Rayyan Stadium and Al Bayt Stadium. Dukhan Road has also witnessed a lot of development while works on the main tunnel of the 17km sewage network have been completed. The period witnessed the signing of 10 new contracts for the Infrastructure Development Projects of Citizens' Sub-Divisions with a total value of about QR4bn to serve more than 8,400 land plots. As for building projects, Ashghal completed the construction of 15 schools and kindergartens, five health centres, 22 projects by the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, amenities with tourism places and Trauma and Emergency building at Hamad General Hospital. Besides, works are on with several buildings in the education and health sectors. Ashghal drew international attention by setting up a 3,000-bed medical quarantine hospital within 72 hours. Ashghal has also won a slew of international recognitions. For instance, the Roads and Infrastructure Development Projects in the Industrial Area (Package 3) and West Muaither (Package 3) received two international safety awards from the British Safety Council.

Standing by his host nation is an obligation for Abdul Kareem, a calligrapher and graphic designer from the southern Indian state of Kerala. “As an artist, I give vent to my creativity. I try to tap the potential of art to bring people together for the cause of Qatar,” he says. Popularly known as Kareemgraphy, the artist has attended various programmes hosted by different organisations in order to bring the communities together and highlight Qatar’s legacy and culture. These include the sand art show at Sealine Beach last year and the solidarity programme by expatriate cultural collective Bridge Qatar and Qatar National Theatre.  Besides, he drew a calligraphic portrait of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and a calligraphy highlighting the iconic goal by Almoez Ali in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The two works drew much attention while His Highness the Amir’s portrait went viral, adorning streets, vehicles and buildings during various solidarity programmes and celebrations. “In fact, blockade brought people together in an unprecedented way. And artists discharged their duties while making use of their works to make the nation stay together,” Kareem said.  At Sealine, a pictorial depiction of Qatar’s heritage and architectural landmarks was held last year and Kareem was part of the 12 member team which drew sketches of pearl diving, old boats, forts, old houses, oil refineries, Torch Tower as the mark of 2006 Asian Games, modern architectural designs at West Bay and Lusail, the Doha Metro track, as well as falcon representing the high spirits of Qatar, and the words ‘See you in 2022’ showing the excitement for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.  Kareem wrote ‘Qatar will remain independent’ in the sand. Kareem says he is trying to give back to Qatar which helped him conquer new heights. “I have worked and lived in various countries. But, Qatar helped me to grow and earn fame and I am obliged not to spare any opportunity that helps me express solidarity and strengthen its people and communities,” he added.

Qatar's 'Let’s Celebrate Eid Together’ initiative has won praise from various communities in the country with their leaders expressing gratitude to ministries and other partners. More than 50,000 Eid food kits were distributed to expatriates under a joint initiative by several ministries and organisations with the involvement of expatriate forums. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Interior (MoI), the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs, Qatar Charity and Ooredoo joined hands for the noble gesture. A total of 40 organisations co-ordinated with the MoI, received food kits and distributed them to people in need. “The ‘Let’s Celebrate Eid Together’ stands as a testimonial for Qatar’s keenness towards ensuring the welfare of the expatriate communities, and leaves a strong message of togetherness and care,” the Indian Community Benevolent Forum president P N Baburajan said. Riyaz Ahmed Bakali from Pakistani Community said Qatar is actively engaged in ensuring the welfare of all. “Qatar pays special care to people in need and members of the expatriate communities. We owe our gratitude to Qatar for helping us work here and have a good life. Persons in need are given care very well. We are obliged to give back by supporting the country meet its requirements in various sectors,” he said, adding that volunteers along with community leaders ensured the food kits reached the right people. Filipino community leader Henry Dimaano said initiative benefited thousands of his compatriots in the country. "We received about 5,000 food kits from the Qatar government to be distributed to the community members who had registered through the Eid Food Kit Registration circulated a couple of days ago. A number of Filipino community leaders including the leadership of Filipino Muslim community in Qatar and some private entities volunteered to help us distribute the food kits to qualified beneficiaries,” he said. The kits were distributed to the beneficiaries by making special arrangements, and volunteers along with drivers worked to implement the scheme. The organisations got applications from various parts of the country and beneficiaries received the kits after they were identified. Transportation facilities were arranged and the community members received the kits at their doors. The organisations carried out the activities in co-ordination with the respective embassies. “Since 2008, all communities in Qatar have been in co-ordination with the Public Relations Department of the MoI for our peaceful life in Qatar. We have celebrated several Eids with the ministry and a lot of activities including sports, games, songs and shows were held as part of the celebrations. And this year, we celebrate Eid through this initiative,” said Anwar Hossain Akon, president of the Bangladesh Community - Qatar. Mohamed Muktda Musalman of the Non Resident Nepali Association, praised the MoI for taking up efforts to keep relations between the Qatar government and the communities intact. "The government is showing much interest in ensuring the welfare of all. And the initiative has come as part of its efforts to address the woes of people in need. Such steps tempt us to do more for the community and we are thankful for what the government is doing for us," he said. "Pakistani community's generous members are always on the front line in times of crisis with the government," said Janan Bangash from Pakistani community thanking the organisers for donating Eid gifts for thousands of needy persons. Expatriate organisations from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, the Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Gambia, Nigeria, Tunisia, Ghana, and Kenya were involved in the initiative.

The Ehteraz app has recorded more than 1mn downloads on the Google Play Store so far, with people in Qatar complying with the preventive measures put in place to curb the spread of Covid-19. The app has also seen a large number of downloads on the Apple App Store. The Cabinet had recently issued a decision making it mandatory for all citizens and residents to install and activate the Ehteraz app on smartphones when leaving the house for any reason. This decision is effective until further notice. While the app earned the praise of residents for being an effective tool in the fight against Covid-19, some users had complained of technical glitches. In response, the Ministry of Interior (MoI) advised users to keep updating the application. “We are doing enhancements, so always update the application,” the ministry had said. Accordingly, app enhancements have been made on both the Android and iOS platforms. The latest enhancement was done on May 23 for Android and May 24 for iOS, according to information available on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, respectively. The MoI has also been carrying out an awareness campaign stressing the importance of using the app. Ehteraz is a tool developed to track the contacts of Covid-19 positive cases and helps healthcare officials fight the virus with the help of members of the society. It also displays the latest developments and official statistics related to the outbreak, and shares awareness and precautionary instructions issued by the official authorities. Vodafone and Ooredoo have waived data charges while using Ehteraz in order to ease and promote the app’s usage. Recently, a senior health official also assured Qatar residents that they need not have any privacy concerns about the Ehteraz app, a very important tool to combat the Covid-19 outbreak and safeguard public health.

*Special prayers at home. virtual meetings mark this year's celebrations The first-ever Eid al-Fitr under strict stay-at-home guidelines on Sunday lent an unprecedented experience to Qatar residents but the precautionary measures against the virus failed to dampen the religious fervour of the faithful. The authorities had repeatedly appealed to everyone to stay home for Eid al-Fitr in order to control the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in the country. As a result, Qatar residents celebrated the auspicious day by not going out, holding special Eid al-Fitr prayers at homes, and organising virtual meetings on various online platforms. Meanwhile, Eid al-Fitr prayers were held on Sunday exclusively in the presence of 40 worshippers including imams, muezzins and staff at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab Mosque, as per the Hanbali doctrine. The prayers were broadcast on TV and radio channels. The Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs (Awqaf) had announced earlier that the decision to close mosques and suspend congressional prayers as part of precautionary and preventive measures against the spread of Covid-19 would also apply to Eid al-Fitr prayers. “The day turned out to be quite usual except I had special food with my family,” said Najeeb Edassery, a resident of Al Murra, reminiscing his experiences of earlier Eid days when he took his family out to various beaches. “I chose to talk to my friends and relatives by making group video calls. And thus, I made virtual visits,” he said. For Suhaib Abdulla, the day started with Eid al-Fitr special prayer at his residence at Al Wakra. “In fact, Eid al-Fitr came as a holiday for me since I was busy volunteering with Qatar Charity at Al Aziziya Al Meera for more than one month,” he said. Unable to go out, Abdulla too had virtual celebrations with his family back home in India. Rather than making it a celebration only involving family and friends, some residents went an extra mile by organising virtual cultural activities over Zoom. A Kerala-based collective organised an exclusive meet during which its members exchanged pleasantries, shared Eid al-Fitr messages and some of them had special Eid songs. Named Pattorma, which literally means Memory of Songs, the meet was attended by around 100 members in Qatar. “The programme received overwhelming response from the members. And we refreshed ourselves and it lent us numerous moments to muse the memories,” said collective functionary Ashraf Hudawi Kattumunda.