DOHA: Infrastructure remains a high priority on Qatar’s economic agenda, with expenditure worth over QR15bn last year, Public Works Authority (Ashghal) said yesterday.
President of Ashghal Nasser bin Ali Al Mawlawi said that Ashghal spent QR13.727bn from April to December last year, equivalent to 86.34 percent of the budget allocated for projects. It spent slightly more than QR15bn in the 2014-2015 fiscal year.
Ashghal built 23 schools last year, and has signed contracts to build another 20 schools next year. Three health centres were also built last year in Al Karaana, Al Ghuwairiyah and in Leabaib.
In Ashghal’s annual report, Al Mawlawi said 2015 was a landmark year for the Authority and the country as it saw the launch of several large infrastructure projects. Three major infrastructure projects opened were F-Ring Road, East Industrial Road and Al Huwaila Road. It also inaugurated the roads surrounding the new Qatar National Museum.
In another statement, Ashghal said its Drainage Networks Operations and Maintenance (DN O&M) Department has established a new system to proactively manage and monitor the sewer networks throughout Qatar. The innovative “Real Time Monitoring Project” started in March this year will set up monitoring systems in both the Foul and Surface Ground Water Networks.
The project, due to be complete by the first quarter of 2019, will enable the concerned staff to observe the performance of the Foul Sewer and Surface Ground Water Networks throughout Qatar, in addition to providing all accurate real time information.
Subsequently, this will help proactively act to sustain the services in a way that would reduce flooding incidents and customer complaints and protect the pipeline assets from the build-up of hydrogen sulphide.
This project consists of the installation and maintenance of 290 flow meters, 400 depth monitors, 90 hydrogen sulphide monitors, 90 saline monitors, four rain gauges and 100 cameras; all being placed at critical parts of the network.
‘Real Time Monitoring’ will assist in understanding the capacity and performance of the Surface Ground Water Network, impacted by ground water infiltration, dewatering discharges into the network from construction sites and seasonal storms. The ability to monitor the networks in the vicinity of key underpasses will give further visibility and early warnings of surcharge levels
The Foul Network is prone to blockages and occasional collapses causing the consequential backing up of the sewer network and flooding. The introduction of these new monitors will give engineers early warning alarms of level increases in the network from the normal patterns. This will allow the engineers to carry out early investigations and intervene where problems are identified to avoid flooding incidents, backups and collapses before they become problematic to ‘Ashghal’ customers.
The Peninsula
