As part of an initiative to ease traffic congestion on Qatar’s roads, the Traffic Department has decided not to issue driving licences to certain categories of expatriate workers, local Arabic daily Arrayah has said.
The licensing section of the Traffic Department at the Ministry of Interior (MoI) has issued a circular to driving schools, informing them of its decision not to issue driving licences to “workers” sponsored by ministries, government and semi-government organisations and private companies, the report said.
The types of vehicles for which licences will not be issued include private light vehicles, all types of heavy vehicles, equipment and machinery. The only category exempted is motorcycles, the report adds.
A joint committee comprising members of the MoI and the Shura (Advisory Council), which was set up to deal with the problem of traffic jams, had made several recommendations, including curbs on issuing new licences to expatriates, to solve the problem. The suggestions were hailed by the Central Municipal Council (CMC) as they contained effective solutions, the report said.
Speaking on the decision, CMC members told Arrayah that the move would contribute to reducing the growing number of new vehicles on roads, which were responsible for causing traffic jams. They also suggested that people should rely on group transportation provided by companies and other organisations, according to the report.
The main aim behind stopping the issuance of new driving licences to certain types of workers is to ease congestion on roads and reduce the number of vehicles, an informed source at the Traffic Department told Arrayah.
The source pointed out that only those who really needed a driving licence would get one. “Others should be provided transportation by their employers.”
According to Arrayah’s source, there are currently a large number of workers who drive and the country’s roads could no longer absorb more vehicles. The decision, it was argued, would reflect positively on the long term and it would have tangible results in the short term.
“Commercial complexes employing 200-300 workers can transport the workers in buses, instead of each of them driving their own cars, thereby clogging the roads and occupying scarce parking lots,” stressed the source.
The source explained that each driving school housed an office of the Traffic Department, where inquires could be made about the decision.
“Another problem is that many of the low-income workers cannot afford to buy a new vehicle. Ultimately, some of them would go for old vehicles that have not passed the technical inspection and have no valid registration.”
A number of diving schools welcomed the decision, indicating that they understood the reasons behind the rule and its rationale. However, they said that the word “worker” could be interpreted in different ways by different people. They said that they have already asked the Traffic Department to specify the targeted categories and the professions which are not eligible.
However, Qatari businessmen Ahmed al-Khalaf pointed out that labourers usually got lower salaries than drivers, so a many of them tried to improve their income by getting a driving licence and turn into drivers. “This often happens due to the shortage in the number of professional drivers in the country. While the demand is high, the supply is limited, because companies find it hard to get visas to recruit drivers.”
He felt that congestion on roads could be better solved by broadening roads and building more flyovers and tunnels.
Qatari businessman Abdulaziz al-Emadi said that he was not in favour of a complete ban on issuing driving licences to such categories. “These people are only a small part of the problem and it is not fair to attribute it all to them.”
He also thinks that affordable mass transportation should be made available in the country to ease traffic snarls.