The Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani said that Qatar has allocated 95% of its infrastructure investments to road transport.
The minister outlined that by 2020, Qatar will have highways totaling a length of more than 8,500km, 200 new bridges and 30 new tunnels.
He said these projects were in addition to the existing and recently completed transport facilities, including the Hamad International Airport and the Hamad Port, the latter which begins its pilot operation before the end of this year, The Peninsula reports.
He highlighted the achievement of the Doha Metro project, which has entered the Guinness World Records after operating the largest number of giant tunnel boring machines at once: “This shows the relentless and hard work being made to accomplish our projects on time and as planned.”
Alongside the expressway network that will link Doha to all the major cities and energy and industry centers, there are preparations to start working on a long-haul train for passengers and goods that will link Qatar to the GCC rail network.
He noted that the time was ripe for development opportunities, operation and maintenance of transport facilities, stressing that Qatar’s goal is to not only establish world-class infrastructure, but also build a complete, effective and high-tech transport system that serves the sectors of services, economy and environment, while linking Qatar to the regional and international economy. He said: “We have the resources and the wise leadership that is committed to achieve our dreams on the ground.”
The Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SCDL) Secretary General Hassan Al Thawadi said that despite the fact that the World Cup is seven years away, preparations are progressing well at all levels thanks to “our deep belief that the Middle East and the Arab world need to host an event as big as the World Cup” as it constitutes a genuine opportunity to enlighten the future of the region, revive its economy and give a chance of creativity for its youth despite the current conditions.
The Peninsula
18 September
