Faster service’ at Traffic Department’s new headquarters

Ministers HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, HE Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Khalifa al-Thani, Chief of Staff Staff Major General HE Hamad bin Ali al-Attiya, Public Security director general  Staff Major General HE Saad bin Jassim al-Khulaifi, Emiri Guards Commander  Staff Major General HE Huzaa bin Khalil al-Shahwani, Traffic Department director Brigadier Mohamed Saad al-Kharji and other senior officials touring the new headquarters of the Traffic Department yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil

By Ayman Adly/Staff Reporter

The new headquarters of the Traffic Department, inaugurated yesterday by HE the Minister of State for Interior Affairs  Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani, has as many as 106 counters which will work from 6am to 7pm in a straight shift on all days except Fridays.

Minister of Municipality and Urban Planning HE Sheikh Abdul Rahman bin Khalifa al-Thani, Qatar Armed Forces Chief of Staff  Staff Major General HE Hamad bin Ali al-Attiya, Public Security director general  Staff Major General HE Saad bin Jassim al-Khulaifi, Emiri Guards Commander Staff Major General HE Huzaa bin Khalil al-Shahwani, Traffic Department director Brigadier Mohamed Saad al-Kharji and department directors of the Ministry of Interior and Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya) were present at the opening ceremony.

“Transactions, whether it is for vehicle registration, licence, payment of traffic fines, or any another services can be completed within a few minutes without any delay or congestion,” Brigadier Abdullah bin Nasser al-Thani, assistant director of the Traffic Department, later told a press conference.

The large hall on the ground floor can accommodate around 500 people at a time. There is a counter to guide visitors. A good number of the employees can speak other languages besides Arabic and English.

The Traffic Investigations Department, which deals with accidents, will continue to function round-the-clock. The number plate workshop, still located in the old building, is open from 6am to 1am. There is a plan to extend its working hours round-the-clock for urgent cases or special circumstances.

There is also a building outside the complex for licensing and registration service for night time, with separate entrance from the outside.

The design of the new building, located at Madinat Khalifa South opposite to old headquarters, is a confluence of Qatari heritage and modern engineering standards.

Assistant director of Logistics Department of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) Brigadier Abdullah Saad al-Kharji explained that the headquarters complex has four main buildings: the main headquarters, registration and licensing unit, Madinat Khalifa investigation building and the a services building.

Lieutenant engineer Anwar Ali al-Ruwaidi, projects officer at the engineering and maintenance section, said the total area of the plot is around 57,000sqm, and the space of three-storey buildings amounts to 74,000sqm.

It took two years to construct the complex at a cost of QR317mn. There are 1,200 parking bays, including 800 for visitors. The new headquarters have health clubs for male and female employees as well as a multipurpose theatre to conduct traffic awareness programmes.

After the inauguration, HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser officially launched at an event in the theatre the new Traffic Safety Awareness Identity, One Second.

He also announced that MoI will open more new buildings in the near future, including a security printing press next week. The Minister said MoI is keen to employ people with special needs. In all new buildings opened by the Ministry, there are special sections for them.

“In the next phase we will launch the service for the elderly and people with special needs at their places of residence instead of them having to come to the service centres or departments,” he added.

Hamad Ashkanani,from Maersk Oil, said 7,000 child car seats will be distributed for new-born children in co-ordination with Hamad Medical Corporation and with the support of the Supreme Council of Health, and the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC).

Also planned is a driving simulation programme, supported by the Supreme Education Council, Qatar Petroleum and Maersk Oil in collaboration with the NTSC. The simulation device will tour all the schools in the country to raise traffic safety awareness.

1) The new headquarters of the Traffic Department.