Highways ‘to ease congestion in Doha’

By Pratap John/Chief Business Reporter

Traffic congestion on Doha roads may get alleviated with the completion of key highway projects worth $8.1bn that have been taken up by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal).

The projects are being overseen by the US-based KBR, which was appointed by Ashghal to provide project management services for the Doha expressway and other major road projects over the next five years, Meed said in a special report.

The three largest schemes are the Doha–Dukhan highway, Doha expressway and the Lusail expressway.

The Doha-Dukhan highway scheme is currently split into three packages, Meed said. The central section covers 7.5km and is being executed by a joint venture of the Athens-based Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) and the local firm, Teyseer.

The eastern section is being built by a joint venture of the local Qatari Diar and Saudi Binladin Group.

The same joint venture is also working on a $1bn contract for a 6.5km section from Al-Mail to Bani Hajer roundabout, the journal said.

The 12km-long Lusail expressway will run north from Doha to Lusail. The construction work is currently split into two packages. The construction contract for the first was awarded to South Korea’s Hyundai Engineering & Construction.

“Contractors are currently prequalifying for the second package”, Meed said.

The Doha expressway scheme involves building 280km of dual four-lane roads with some 19 interchanges. There are a series of major packages involved in the project.

Some have already started construction, while others are due to be tendered over the next two years.

Contractors that have secured work on the scheme so far include the UAE’s Al-Jaber Group, CCC/Teyseer, a joint venture of Turkey’s Yuksel and the local Midmac Contracting and China’s Sinohydro.

According to regional projects tracker Meed Projects, Qatar is the third largest projects market in the GCC behind Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The total value of the projects planned and underway in Qatar (as of January) stood at $223.4bn, it said.

Over the next decade, Qatar will see even “greater transformation” the report said. A construction boom is gathering pace that will see Qatar gain a $35bn integrated transport system with high-speed rail lines, light rail networks and a metro, which will enable travel around the country and to neighbouring states.

A major overhaul of roads and highways is also underway and the downtown Doha is getting a $5.5bn facelift, it said.