Qatar is achieving major milestones in a regular manner. The much anticipated Doha Metro will open today for the public, much before the scheduled time. The Doha Metro Red Line South will start its initial operation from Al Qassar to Al Wakra. Everybody in the country has been awaiting for this special day in the transportation and the developmental history of Qatar.
Out of the 18 Red Line stations, the initial operation will include 13 stations — Al Qassar, DECC, QIC West Bay, Corniche, Al Bidda, Msheireb, Al Doha Al Jadeda, Umm Ghawalina, Al Matar Al Qadeem, Oqba Ibn Nafie, Free Zone, Ras Bu Fontas and Al Wakra. And the inauguration of the section 1 of Doha Metro Red Line will be a significant milestone for country’s transport sector.
Doha Metro has been doing the trial runs for several months to weed out any kind of technical glitches. The details of the project and the techniques used, such as digital media and signage, latest self-service ticketing facilities, integrated travel planning, smart air-conditioning, full Wi-Fi coverage and others, can better any such services in the world. Doha Metro has got one of the fastest driverless trains in the world and will be the fastest in the region, capable of speeds up to 100kmph, and will deliver a safe, reliable and fast commuter service for passengers.
According to Qatar Railways Company, the total number of trains serving the project would be 110, once it’s fully operational, especially when Qatar hosts the FIFA World Cup 2022, which is expected to attract over a million visitor during the tournament. The average journey time between adjacent stations would be two minutes.
One of the major achievements of the project was the total number of man-hours worked and one of the lowest Accident Frequency Rates (AFR) in construction in the world. Metro trains’ fusion of elegant, modern and futuristic design have proven to be an award winning concept on a global platform winning several accolades.
The stations are environment friendly and have been designed and built embracing global sustainability standards. Another interesting fact is that Qatar Rail announced the research on the use of massive quantity of soil, which was displaced during the tunnelling works of the project, for agricultural purposes. This is a major step in the direction of achieving food self-sufficiency in a sustainable manner.
The first and last mile strategy is more important for the success of any metro network. For that purpose, Qatar Railways Company has signed an agreement with Careem Qatar. Mowasalat has announced special deals in their Karwa taxis and also free feeder buses for metro commuters. The joint cooperation will offer discounted taxi fare promotions to the passengers for their first and last mile journeys.
It’s also welcome step that some commercial establishments are setting up their branches at the stations. Commercial Bank is planning to open up to nine branches across the Metro network. Al Meera will also open its branches at main stations. All these remarkable achievements of Doha Metro prove that Qatar has overcome all odds to make every one in the country feel proud.
