By Sanaullah Ataullah
DOHA: A new hospital, which will have 500 beds and an emergency centre, is planned to be built in Al Khor at a cost of whopping QR3.6bn ($1bn).
The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) will be handling the project. The proposed hospital is slated to begin by mid-2017.
The “New Al Khor Hospital” will have 500 beds, several operation theaters, an emergency unit and Out-Patient Departments (OPD) among other facilities.
Details about the project was disclosed at a community event organised by Ashghal in coordination with the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning and members of the Central Municipal Council (CMC) at Al Khor Sports Club yesterday.
The event was held for Ashghal to interact with residents of Al Khor and Al Thakhira and their representatives in the CMC to and introduce development projects planned for their localities.
The purpose of the meeting was also to get feedback from the people.
The event was attended by Hamad Lahdan Al Muhannadi, Vice Chairman of the CMC, Naser Al Muhannadi, CMC member, Abdullah Al Ajmai, Head of Building Projects Section at Ashghal with several other officials, and representatives of contracting companies and residents.
In a marathon three-hour meeting, Qataris living in Al Khor and Al Thakhira aired their woes demanding more services and development projects there.
Their demands include development of internal roads, more lanes for main roads to ease traffic flow, especially during peak hours. They also demanded to build more public parks since there is only one park for the past 40 years.
People also demanded that street lights, interlocks for roads and beautification of Al Khor city be provided. Residents said they are not happy with performance of contracting companies making delays in executing projects.
Responding to the demands of residents, Ashghal officials assured them to wait as all their demands will be fulfilled since they are busy implementing several key projects and priorities are being given as per the urgency of the project.
The officials said that a strict mechanism is being enforced to follow up on the progress of the projects. Representatives from Ashghal visit project sites regularly and submit reports every week. Severe action will be taken against companies lagging behind schedule. All projects will be delivered on time.
Ashghal has also announced some new projects apart from new Al Khor hospital. A new health centre costing QR230m will be built in Al Khor. The project is expected to start by first quarter (Q1) next year. Another project is to build three mosques. The project costs QR17m and expected to begin from Q1 next year.
Achievements of some ongoing key projects were also reported in the meeting. Some 40 percent work on the aquatic and fisheries research centre that is being built in Ras Matbakh has been completed.
The research centre, which will comprise big fish and prawn hatcheries, is expected to be completed by Q3 next year. The project began last year.
Construction of Coastguard security headquarters in Ras Matbakh began in Q4 2014 and is expected to be completed in Q3, 2016. The project includes demolition and re-construction of the main building and its annexes. The project costs QR29m.
A commercial street of some 5.5km is being developed in Al Khor. More than one-third of the project has been completed. Works include rebuilding and expansion of the existing road to ease traffic congestions and improve commercial and residential access along Commercial Street. The expansion of Al Khor sewage network began in the third quarter of 2012 and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2016.
Once completed, the project will provide a permanent solution to the problem of discharging sewage water from houses, public buildings and commercial institutes to treatment plants in Al Khor to do away with the use of tankers. About 90 percent of project works have completed.
The Peninsula
