DOHA: Woqod (Qatar Fuel) yesterday opened its first Fahes smart vehicle inspection centre at Wadi Al Banat near Duhail, which allows customers to complete the inspection process without the need to get out of their cars.
Fahes smart inspection centres also stand out with a single window system that provides different services related to road permit renewal under one roof. Through the single window system, that is directly connected to the Traffic Department, customers can pay insurance premiums as well as fines for traffic violations.
Woqod plans to open five more smart inspection centres soon, the first of which is expected to become operational in Mesaimeer by the end of this month.
The Wadi Al Banat centre is located in the Woqod petrol station’s premises in the locality. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Woqod CEO, Engineer Ibrahim Jaham Al Kuwari, its board members and representatives from the Traffic Department and other government bodies concerned.
Speaking to the media on the occasion, Al Kuwari said that the centre, which occupies an area of 7,500 square metres and was built at an estimated cost of QR23m, was the first among Woqod’s Smart Fahes inspection centres.
“It comes as part of a series of smart inspection centres that are being currently developed by Woqod in various regions of the state. We are also working towards the inauguration of another centre of the same series in the Mesaimeer region very soon, in addition to other four new centres that are currently in the design and construction phases in Al Wakra, Al Shamal, Al Shihaniyyah and Al Khor,” said Al Kuwari. These centres are expected to open next year.
Al Kuwari said, the new centres were being built according to the latest standards to ensure comfort and smooth workflow, where the customer drives his vehicle throughout the various inspection stages. Additionally, the centres provide the necessary parking spaces and modern infrastructure, including rest rooms, cafeterias, waiting areas and entertainment areas.
Fahes smart inspection centers guarantee the accuracy and centralisation of the inspection data and thus minimise incidents of manipulating inspection data by employees or other agencies through electronically produced reports. Paper reports have been completely eliminated.
In the first phase, the smart centres will be connected with the Traffic Department and in the second phase they will be linked each other on one hand, and with the Traffic Department on the other.
Such a system will allow data exchange between the centres and the Traffic Department and help minimise the total time needed for completing the inspection process, said the official.
Woqod plans to further develop the smart inspection systems currently implemented at the main centre in the industrial area and other branches to simplify the process, and minimise the waiting time.
It will also establish several new smart inspection centers at its fuel stations where there is sufficient space.
The company is planning to set up 10 to 15 new fuel stations in Qatar next year. The country is expected to have 100 Woqod petrol stations by 2018- 2019.
Work is in progress on a fuel station in Saudi Arabia, the first such facility to be operated by Woqod out of Qatar.
The Peninsula
