By Rumana Shaikh

In light of the 33^rd GCC Traffic week that began on Sunday, March 12, 2017 in Darb Al Saai, here are some ways that life can be made easier in terms of traffic-related inquiries and reports. Metrash2 is an app by the Ministry of Interior of Qatar, available for download on App Store for Apple, Play Store for Android and the Windows Store for Windows.

Once it’s been downloaded, the app requires the user’s QID number and phone number to which it will send a verification SMS. Once verified, there are more than a hundred MOI-related services that can be accessed on the app.

If you’re on the go, you can make inquiries related to vehicles, licenses, exit permits and a lot more on the app! The traffic services include looking up any past violations that you may have, including when and where they occurred. You can also find radar violation images, and filed accident reports can also be followed on the app.

In 2013, the MOI announced that Metrash2 could be used to report violations made by other drivers on the road (rash driving, etc.) A picture could be taken and uploaded on the app to report a violation. However, this feature can no longer be found on the app and seems to have been removed.

According to MOI, in 2016, downloading the app may have saved fuel required for 7,558,990 km, so save yourself a trip to the MOI and download the app instead! Want more stats about how much time, manpower, and fuel downloading the app can save? Find it here.

New elements

The Ministry of Interior recently introduced two new features on the Metrash2 app that will save companie a lot of time and effort. The first one allows for automatic renewal of residence permits for employees in companies and institutions registered for the service. Once a company is registered, the feature will automatically notify the list of individuals working for the company whose permits need to be renewed, and will exempt those who may no longer be employed with them.

To be able to use this service, companies will need to subscribe to the second new feature, which is the direct debit service. This allows for service fees to be transferred directly from the company's account to the Ministry's. This can be done by filling the required forms at any Qatar National Bank branch, and identifying the person to whom the authority of the direct debit service will be given.

How many of you are current users of the Metrash2 app? Have you found it helpful or time-saving? Let us know how user-friendly you think it is in the comments below and don’t forget to give us a like and a share – it keeps us going!

(Editor's Note: This article has been updated at 12:11 p.m., on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 to reflect new, recently announced updates to the Metrash2 app.)

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