QR18mn car inspection centre opens in Mesaimeer

By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter

Qatar Fuel (Woqod) inaugurated its second vehicle inspection centre (Fahes) in Mesaimeer.

Woqod chairman HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and CEO engineer Ibrahim Jaham al-Kuwari led the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Senior officials of the company, representatives from the Traffic Department, other government authorities and guests also attended.

In a press statement, al-Kuwari noted that the QR18mn facility occupies a 6,500sq m area, the second among Woqod’s smart Fahes inspection projects. The first centre was inaugurated in December 2014 at Wadi Al Banat (towards north of Qatar University).

The CEO recently announced that four new technical inspection centres, which are in the design and approval stages, will be built in Al Shahaniya, Al Shamal City, Al Khor and Al Wakrah. Woqod expects the centres to be fully operational during 2015-2016.

As part of their plans, al-Kuwari said they will build several smart inspection centres in their fuel stations in Qatar.

“We also have to consider the space that will be used in establishing these facilities,” he noted.

Al-Kuwari added that the centres are constructed based on the highest modern standards of the single window system, making the vehicle inspection process faster.

Some of the Fahes technical staff told Gulf Times that it would take only about five minutes to finish the inspection. These include checking the emission, lights, brakes and suspension, among others.

“Here, you will witness how your vehicle is checked, we have monitors that will show you the progress and what may be wrong,” said one staff. “Everything is transparent.”

Fahes smart inspection centres use a centralised system of inspection that prevents any staff or other agencies from manipulating the data.

“This ensures high reliability of the electronically-produced reports since paper reports have been completely replaced,” said al-Kuwari.

Clients, if they are required to, can also settle traffic violation tickets and pay insurance premiums through the single window system at Fahes.

Woqod wants to continue developing the smart inspection systems being applied at its main facility in the Industrial Area and other branches.

These systems, according to al-Kuwari, aim to further improve the services by making the process easier, faster and convenient.

Woqod is also currently building 13 fuel stations in different parts of the country including one at the new Hamad International Airport.

The CEO earlier said that they had plans to build a fuel station along the newly-opened F-Ring Road. More car wash facilities are also expected to be built to serve thousands of vehicle owners.

Woqod thanked the public and civil authorities that contributed to the completion of the project.