The newly opened Ras Abu Aboud Tunnel is a major infrastructure breakthrough in Qatar meeting the highest safety and efficiency standards having been installed with some of the latest technology ever witnessed in the country. “The tunnel management system used here is one of the newest in Qatar,” said Mohammad Sahli, Project Manager, NDIA (New Doha International Airport) Steering Committee, during a media orientation yesterday at the Ras Abu Aboud Tunnel. Sahli along with Bernardo Gogna, Director, NDIA Steering Committee, and other officials briefed media persons as they were taken for a tour in the tunnel and its control room. The tunnel covers 850 metres with the closed section stretching 330m long equipped with CCTV cameras, ventilation, light control and emergency communication systems linked to a control room which operates 24 hours without break. The control room contains screens showing vehicular traffic and uses state-of-the-art electronic system software which makes it possible to immediately alter message display at the tunnel entrance such as speed limit. A device is attached at the entrance of the closed section of the tunnel measuring the intensity of light and automatically adjusts the brightness of the lights inside the tunnel for the motorists’ safety. To ensure clean air at all times, pollution measuring devices are installed which monitor pollution in the tunnel and as soon as the specific limit of pollution is reached air is automatically refreshed. Telephones are also conveniently located in the tunnel in case of emergencies. Opened on January 10, the tunnel links Wakrah Road and the Corniche and was part of the last stage of the Ras Abu Aboud Road project launched by the NDIA Steering Committee. It is a two-lane one-way link to the greater project which includes a four-lane carriageway, two tunnels and 21 post-tensioned bridges in all directions. The tunnel including the four-km road stretching from Sana Roundabout to the new airport and the Ras Abu Aboud bridge was a major accomplishment having been completed on time and within the budget, noted Sahli adding a bigger project including a 58-km road and 21 bridges costing QR1.5bn is almost finished. He said the tunnel allows an uninterrupted travel from the Corniche to the new airport. Other works are still underway in the area including installation of permanent generator to guarantee undisrupted supply of electricity in the tunnel, speed radars, artistic lighting system and landscaping. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=January2010&file=Local_News2010012653440.xml

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