Qatar National Day is almost upon us and people are getting ready to celebrate the historic occasion. Several major events are planned to show the spirit of the country, allowing people to enjoy themselves and get into the festive mood. There are choices aplenty allowing one and all to show their solidarity with Qatar. As there are huge turnouts at Qatar National Day events and celebrations, traffic congestion is natural fallout.
We've put together some tips to ensure you have a safe celebration and enjoy the festivities at the same time.
(Photo credit: MOI-Qatar)
To be able to enjoy the parade, make sure you arrive at the venue early. This allows you to get a prime spot to enjoy the festivities with family and friends. This year, the Qatar National Day parade will start at 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, December 18, and roads and the Corniche road will be closed from 10 am, where all the paths leading to the Corniche will be closed which means you'll have to arrive early to find that prized parking spot and place to sit!
The weather is expected to be nice, so walking shouldn't be a problem -- and you may have to as parking areas are a distance away and you'd have to get to the venue on foot. We suggest wearing shoes you're comfortable walking in, or sneakers. Shuttle services are also available for transport from the parking locations to the Corniche.
Read more: Here's where to find Qatar national day decorative items
(Photo credit: Xavier Bouchevreau/flickr)
Be prepared to spend time in your car because of the wait for parking, or traffic snarls. Large crowds will slow vehicular movement, so make sure you have ample amounts of food, water, and medication just in case.
The National Day Celebrations Organising Committee has issued maps highlighting the parade's route map, location of food kiosks, and parking areas, along with other facilities available for visitors to the Corniche.
About 25 parking spaces have been equipped for the public, near the exhibition center close to the buildings of the Qatar Petroleum along with parking of the Sheraton Doha, the parking behind Qatar Club and another near the Post Office.
The Committee also allocated parking places to the public at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab Mosque and in Al Bidda underground parking places in front of the building of Ministry of the Interior and near to Marmar Palace and at the headquarters of the Qatar Bowling Federation near the Mannai Tunnel and the land close to the old building of the British Embassy. There are also parking lots for the public in Souq Waqif and the Museum of Islamic Art.
The organising committee has allocated Karwa buses to transport the public to and from remote parking lots and allocated some buses to families and people with special needs as well.
In order to provide services to the public, there are special emergency points of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) where emergency medics would work for the treatment of injuries or other cases required. There will be also small stalls at the Corniche area to distribute refreshments, water and light food to the public at the Corniche, and there are temporary toilets as well.
An office has been set up in the old building of the Ministry of Interior in the Corniche to deal with the missing children in the traffic jam. The Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Interior, the Juvenile Police Department and the Community Police Department will be working for this.
Traffic jams will be the order of the day near the Corniche before and after the fireworks display. Google Maps can help find alternate routes to reach and leave the venue, and avoid getting caught up in a long queue of vehicles. Tech comes in handy!
Weather will be fine tomorrow. However, the Meteorological Department has forecasted poor horizontal visibility at places by early morning. Stay warm, as even Qatar can get cold this time of year! Keep the kids bundled up to make sure they don't catch a cold.
| Weather Station | Temperature Max (deg.C) | Temperature Min (deg.C) | Humidity Max(%) | Humidity Min(%) | Weather |
|
| Doha | 25 | 19 | 90 | 40 | Fine |
(Weather forecast for 18 December 2018, source: qweather.gov.qa/GForec)
For the differently-abled, Hukoomi gives handy tips on accessibility, allowing everyone to be a part of the celebrations.
(Photo credit: iStock by Getty Images)
The differently-abled are also a big part of the celebrations, so it's helpful to find out if any events have been organized for them to join in the Qatar National Day festivities.
Be sure to find out where accessible restrooms are located for the differently-abled. Conduct a reconnaissance of areas where events will be held, allowing you to be familiar with locations on the big day. Visit this link to have information on accessible locations for persons with disabilities.
Organisers are always on-hand to guide you, allowing you the best possible preparations to celebrate. Have your mobile phone handy in case you may need to contact emergency services and police should be kept informed in case you have health issues that may call for medical intervention.. The Emergency Service for the Deaf is a distinctive service for persons with special needs whereas the number (992) is specified at the Operations Room in National Command Centre (NCC) to provide the services they require or report through sign language while fire or any other incidents occur.
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(Cover image credit: qatar.qa)
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