DOHA: Mobilisation of labour force and primary construction materials would be the key challenges Qatar’s project industry would be facing in the run-up to the World Cup 2022. Given the aggressive schedules of critical projects, Qatar will have to look for non-traditional sources to mobilize the resources, a US-based project management expert told The Peninsula yesterday.
“Manpower, both semi-skilled and un-skilled, is going to be a big challenge for Qatar’s ambitious development projects. With a large number of projects coming up simultaneously, the country will have to depend on a huge contingent of fresh labour force. The region is already experiencing a slowdown in the flow of workforce from Asian countries like India and Nepal. Qatar needs to address this problem on war footing,” said Umesh K Jois (pictured), President & CEO JCMS Global, US.
The Asian countries, major suppliers of the region’s labour force, are giving better wages to the workers from their respective countries. Despite economic slowdown, construction sector is very active in India. The construction companies must come out with fresh plans to attract these workers.
The contracting companies will also have to look for non-traditional sources to make sure the construction materials are reaching at the project sites well in advance. Currently, Qatar is mainly depending on UAE for primary construction materials like Gabbro and Limestone. Once the project works pick up, Qatar may not be able to afford the luxury of depending on its neighboring countries. Long delays will ultimately end up in the enhancement of project cost.
“Qatar has a history of completing several key projects as per the schedule. But having committed to complete large number of projects concurrently, the construction companies must foresee the possible disruptions in the supply chain of construction materials. The construction companies must locate new countries to sources these materials in case of emergencies. “A well-planned project is half-done. The contracting companies must understand their project thoroughly and plan accordingly,” Umesh said.
Qatar also needs to prioritise its 2022 projects. With the country’s population projected to multiply in the next three years, priorities should be given to augmentation of water network system, waste water projects and power distribution network.
The New Jersey-based JCMS Global , which has recently opened its country office in Doha, has a legacy of providing construction management services on over two hundred infrastructure projects ranging in size from $1m to over $6bn in size. These include runways, air terminal buildings, bridges, tunnels, highways, rail networks and power substations.
The Peninsula
