The Minister of Labour and Social Affairs H E Abdullah Saleh Mubarak Al Khulaifi inaugurated the Grand Mall at the West End Park yesterday. More than 10,000 people attended the opening of the hypermarket, one of the largest facilities on the complex that targets all segments of people in Qatar. Located in the East Zone of the Industrial Area, behind the Karwa Headquarters, the West End Park attracted families as well as single workers. The footfall at the mall was counted at over 30,000 since yesterday morning, Aboobacker Mohammed, the Director of Dubai-based Regency Group, said. The hypermarket is built on an area of 10,000sqm and offers a supermarket on the ground floor and a department store on the first floor. With hundreds of people trying to enter the mall at the same time, the glass of an electric escalator at the entrance of the hypermarket broke. One police officer said managing a crowd of hundreds of workers was difficult for police as many rushed to enter the facility. Some single workers said the new facility would make their lives easier. Although several grocery shops are located in different parts of the Industrial Area, a majority of residents have to travel to Doha to shop for grocery and other necessary items, one worker said. “Sometimes we have to take the bus or a taxi, and with the increasing traffic, it takes us a long time to reach malls in Doha,” said Jaswinder Singh, a worker who lives in the Industrial Area said. He said many residents in the neighbourhood were ‘excited’ about the new facility because they could gather there on their days off, usually Fridays. Families also visited the mall opening, especially those living in the nearby Barwa Complex. A major highlight of the Grand Mall is the hypermarket, which spreads over 8,000sqm. A Gold Market is also located in the mall. The food and bakery sections are also major attractions of the hypermarket. The West End Park, owned by Jassim bin Mohammed Al Thani Social Welfare Fund (JBM), is a project that aims at promoting human development and enhancing economic and social growth in Qatar. The West End Park facility also plans to build a four-screen cinema complex which will be run by the Qatar Bahrain International Cinema Co. The Regency Group also plans to open three more outlets in Qatar soon. http://thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/256735-over-10000-throng-grand-mall-opening-at-west-end-park.html

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