Third phase of HIA expansion set to cost $3bn

Abdul Azeez al-Noaimi (left), Ali al-Malki (centre) and Abdulla al-Subaie at the panel discussion on Sunday. PICTURE: Shaji Kayamkulam.

A total of about $3bn is to be invested for the third phase expansion of the Hamad International Airport (HIA), Qatar Civil Aviation Authority chairman Abdul Azeez al-Noaimi announced on Sunday. "When the third phase is ready, HIA would be able to handle 53mn passengers a year against its current capacity of 30mn," he explained while speaking at a panel discussion hosted by the Ministry of Transport at its special tent in Darb al-Saai. The work on the second phase of expansion of the airport is already on, al-Noaimi pointed out. The part of Doha Metro, linking different areas within the HIA, would be ready by the middle of next year, he added. Qatar Aeronautical College director general Ali al-Malki said arrangements are being made to shift its entire operations to the HIA Complex. The college, he said, would be able to offer more professional educational programmes in civil aviation and related fields in coming years. Al-Malki also informed that negotiations are going on with Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development for setting up an aeronautical university of world standards. Speaking later, Qatar Rail managing director and senior engineer Abdulla Abdulazeez al-Turki al-Subaie said more than 40% of the boring work for 38 stations of the Doha Metro is already completed. In all, 16% of the total work of the Doha Metro has been completed, he said while disclosing that 21 boring machines would be deployed in different areas of Doha in 2015. While informing that 70% of the construction design of Doha Metro is already completed, the senior Qatar Rail official said the project features 85km of railway lines in two directions, spread over three lines - Blue, Red and Green. Regarding the Lusail Light Rail Project, al-Subaie said an 8-km tunnel is already completed and more than 7km of electrical and mechanical works are also finished. The light rail project features 35 stations covering a distance of 32km. "Works within Qatar for the GCC Rail for passenger and freight transport would begin next year and the first rail movement is expected sometime in 2018," he added.