Ashghal pulls off world-class projects and in record time

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has spared no effort in implementing projects related to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 according to the highest international standards and in record time while maintaining the safety of workers and adding aesthetic touches and Qatari culture to their work.Ashghal was committed to implementing projects that serve World Cup stadiums and completing the surrounding roads to facilitate access to all stadiums through an advanced network of highways and main roads.It was able to complete an integrated network with high international standards that serves all parts of the country and provides highways and vital roads linking major cities and residential areas as all highway projects surrounding the stadiums have been completed.The authority has also completed work on many beaches, public parks, service buildings, pedestrian and bicycle paths, and rainwater and groundwater drainage networks to enhance social welfare and a healthy lifestyle within the country and provide recreational places for Qatar’s guests during the World Cup.These new facilities will be a sustainable legacy after the tournament.The authority also gave an Arab and Islamic character and highlight the Qatari identity in the buildings, facilities and projects implemented in co-operation with the relevant authorities in the country.In an exclusive statement to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Ashghal President Dr Eng Saad bin Ahmed al-Muhannadi said that Ashghal formed an integrated team to survey, study and test all road assets around the stadiums hosting the event to ensure the quality of road components such as asphalt, road signs, safety barriers, sewage, street lighting, pedestrian crossing paths and traffic lights for readiness.He added that in co-operation with the concerned authorities represented by the General Traffic Department in the Ministry of Interior and the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, a study is being conducted on road closures, traffic diversions and alternative road plans to facilitate the movement of individuals and residents in areas surrounding the stadiums during the tournament.Necessary operational plans were developed and are constantly updated according to the lessons learned and in line with the situation of the area.Rapid emergency response plans have also been developed to prepare for any emergency event around the clock.Regarding the authority’s efforts during the tournament, al-Muhannadi affirmed Ashghal’s keenness to use electronic boards on the roads to inform fans of road conditions, how to reach the stadium and the parking lots for fans of all categories.The situation is also monitored through the Roads Management Center (RMC) at Ashghal and the Tournament Transport Co-ordination Centre (TTCC) and the stadiums control room, through advanced surveillance cameras (CCTV), and control of traffic lights to ensure smooth traffic on the road during and after the event.He added that a team of Qatari engineers and specialists is currently organising and implementing various scenarios (exercises) for emergencies on roads around the stadiums hosting the tournament to ensure the smooth flow of traffic and movement of the public, in partnership with the General Directorate of Traffic at the Ministry of Interior, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and Kahramaa.So far, nearly 30 hypothetical scenarios have been implemented throughout the year to prepare for the big event.The Ashghal president stressed the authority’s commitment to take care of the workforce working in its projects and protect it from injuries at work sites in general, emphasising the authority’s keenness to always apply a set of regulations and procedures to ensure the health and safety of workers, such as conducting several programmes, the most important of which is the medical examination for workers to detect chronic diseases that may increase risks of heat stress.Ashghal won two international safety awards from the British Safety Council in recognition of its commitment to maintaining the safety and health of workers and workplaces during 2019 and 2020.Al-Muhannadi explained that Ashghal aims, through all its programmes, projects and services, to promote best practices, encourage innovations and adopt new technologies with an emphasis on achieving environmental sustainability.Ashghal is working to promote sustainability and recycling initiatives as a primary objective as it raised the percentage of recycled materials used in projects to 20% of the total materials used at the beginning of this year.This included recycling asphalt materials and using treated wastewater in cooling systems, irrigating green spaces and growing fodder.Additionally, it used recycled tyre rubber in the asphalt mixture and recycled demolition and construction waste, among others, with the aim of achieving the sustainable development goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.Al-Muhannadi explained that Ashghal is using a new construction technique in some highway projects, called the ‘balanced cantilever method’ for the first time in Qatar to build high-level intersections, which includes building concrete parts on site without any interruption to traffic flow.The authority is also currently implementing many integrated project management systems such as Building Information Modeling (BIM), which is a collaborative way to design, build and operate assets using 3D models and tools.Ashghal is also a pioneer in the large-scale Lean initiative in Qatar.He added that they invested in various new technologies, including road survey technology, which is one of the best sustainable solutions for the operation and maintenance of roads to ensure their condition and compliance with standards, in addition to examining the asphalt layer and discovering surface defects.Ashghal also implemented a three-dimensional radar system (3D GPR) for road inspection, asphalt survey, and under-layer inspection of roads, bridges and sewage network.Radar beams penetrate the surface layers of asphalt to reach the lower layers in order to identify any shortcomings or gaps in the foundations before they appear on the surface.Al-Muhannadi pointed out that Ashghal is constructing the largest electric charging station in the region that operates on solar energy, adding that high-efficiency solar cell canopies will be established for a bus station, making it the first one that operates only on solar energy in the region.When completed, the public bus infrastructure programme aims to integrate with various public transport systems to support operations during the World Cup and beyond. The programme also aims to increase the number of public transport users over the next few years by introducing high quality facilities.Ashghal completed more than 1,791km of roads, in addition to 207 bridges and 143 tunnels. Most notable projects were Al Majd Road, Al Khor Road, Lusail Road, and G-Ring Road, in addition to the Sabah Al Ahmad Corridor. These projects and other main and local roads link not only stadiums, but also contribute to quick and easy access for fans moving between the stadiums and the most important vital and surrounding tourist areas. They also provide access to various transportation facilities.To promote a healthy lifestyle in the country, Ashghal constructed 2,131km of pedestrian and bicycle paths in most of the local road and highway projects. These paths are connected to all stadiums hosting World Cup matches. Additionally, 16 bridges and 5 pedestrian tunnels were also constructed. Traffic safety procedures and conditions are taken into account when designing these lanes. They are designed in a way that ensures their safety when entering traffic junctions along the road. The pedestrian and bicycle paths also connect between the stadiums hosting the World Cup matches and fan zones, as well as residential areas, and tourist areas. These routes also connect to bus stations, metro stations, park and ride and park and walk areas.In co-operation with the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and other relevant authorities, Ashghal is constructing parking lots for cars, buses and taxis to facilitate fans access to stadiums, avoid congestion and improve traffic in areas surrounding stadiums during matches.The authority is also working on multi-purpose areas under the disposal of the committee to meet all its needs for equipment storage and parking lots. Work was done on parking lots on a total area of more than 6mn sq m.More than 900,000 trees have been planted as part of the “Qatar Beautification” and “Our Children Plant Trees” initiatives, launched in 2019. Furthermore, 11 parks and green spaces have been development to serve the public.