There are plans to provide new access routes to the Industrial Area and upgrade its pothole-dotted internal roads as part of a plan to give the area the much-needed facelift. Currently, the Area which houses large numbers of warehouses, automobile garages, small and medium industrial units, transport offices and thousands of industrial and other low-income workers, can be accessed from Doha only via Abu Hamor and Salwa Road. But Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has unveiled extensive plans to refurbish the internal roads of the area and provide more access routes to ease traffic congestion on the two approach roads during rush hours. There are traffic snarls during peak hours as work on the upcoming Industrial Area Intersection is still on. The Intersection, it is learnt, is slated to be thrown partly open in December. Public complaints have been galore for long about the entire Industrial Area lying in a shambles with damaged and dirty roads and crumbling infrastructure. The Central Municipal Council (CMC) raised this and other public issues of importance with the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning. Ashghal has, through the civic ministry, responded to CMC’s concerns and said plans are afoot to soon begin upgrading the internal roads of the area. As for improving the infrastructure of the Area, work on the project will begin in March 2011, said Ashghal. Ashghal’s reply to CMC’s concerns was read out in the House yesterday. The CMC met at its headquarters yesterday after the long summer break and discussed the replies of Ashghal as well as that of the municipal ministry. Ashghal noted in its response that the shabby condition of the Industrial Area was a matter of concern. The Municipal Ministry, in its explanation about abandoned vehicles in the Area, said they were removed in large chunks and the removal work was continuing on a regular basis. About general cleaning in the area, the Ministry said new dumpsters have been provided and routine cleaning in the entire area is carried out on a daily basis. The 29-member CMC had also taken up the issue of road safety with the Interior Ministry. It was informed by the Ministry that no road contractor is allowed to make traffic diversions during a road repair work without prior permission of the traffic authorities. The Ministry said it would extensively study the situation as regards road safety in the context of road repair works to be carried out through a joint committee with members from the traffic department as well as Ashghal. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=October2009&file=Local_News200910070459.xml

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