The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) held yesterday a briefing session with local contractors to form global alliances to implement Sharq Crossing project, a strategic hub for the main roads in the country to help ensure a smooth traffic flow cutting travel time from Ras Bu Abboud to the West Bay by seven minutes.

The project, scheduled to start construction by third quarter (Q3) 2020, will consist of bridges connecting to each other through a water tunnel with a total length of 12km above sea level, linking Ras Bu Abboud Street and the West Bay area. As per directives of Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Ashghal invited local companies to attend a briefing session on the launch of Sharq Crossing project with the aim of forming alliances with international companies to implement the vital project, said a statement issued by Ashghal.

The session included a presentation on the project details and the timetable for launching the project and its implementation to start their preparations and submit their requests to tender through forming a partnership and alliance between local and international companies.

The President of Ashghal, H E Eng. Saad bin Ahmed Al Muhannadi said: “We trust local contractors and their ability to form an alliance to implement this project with the required quality and time, as this is the first of its kind in Qatar, which will cause a qualitative shift in traffic.”

Projects Affairs Director at Ashghal, Engineer Yousef Al Emadi confirmed that the contractors were invited to enter and compete for the Sharq Crossing project and to define the required schedule for the project where local companies are to form an alliance with international companies and provide a list of those alliances in mid-January to start offering the project to tender in February, the project starts implementation in the third quarter of 2020. The Sharq Crossing is considered one of the most important infrastructure projects in Qatar and is considered a strategic hub for the main roads in the country, as it consists of bridges that connect to each other through a water tunnel with a total length of 12 km above sea level, linking Ras Bu Abboud Street and the West Bay area. Sharq Crossing will also serve many vital areas, including the 2022 World Cup stadiums, such as the Ras Bu Abboud stadium and Lusail stadium. With the completion of the project, motorists from Ras Bu Abboud will be able to reach the West Bay in about seven minutes. While Katara is another important link between Ras Bu Abboud and the cultural village, making it easy to reach Katara and Lusail.

The project also contains construction elements, which include the implementation of bridges and roads with lateral inclinations, in addition to a water tunnel up to 1 km in length to ensure the continuity of the navigation movement of ships in a smooth manner without hindering the passage of ships over the tunnel.