Doha: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) signed two contracts to provide 2,600 decorative lighting poles to enhance Doha Corniche and Central Doha areas, within the works of the Supervisory Committee of Beautification of Roads and Public Places in Qatar. The contracts were signed in the presence of Dr Eng Saad bin Ahmed Al Muhannadi, President of Ashghal, executives and representatives of local manufacturing companies.
The new lighting poles have special design features reflecting the Qatari identity. The lighting poles to be installed along Doha corniche are designed in the form of palm frond and leaves shaped lighting poles to be installed along streets of Central Doha.
Two local companies have been contracted to supply 2,600 locally manufactured lighting poles to provide LED lighting extended along 10 km on Doha Corniche from Ras Bu Abboud Bridge to Doha Cityscape Area and along another two square kilometers around Central Doha.
Palm Frond light poles
In view of the special identity of Doha Corniche and its strategic location in the waterfront that connects eastern coastal regions, it was decided to provide decorative lighting poles designed exclusively to highlight its identity connected to the local community. Lightning Design Company (LDC) put the idea of the palm frond in cooperation with Arab Engineering Bureau (AEB) and LDC developed the palm frond design of the lighting units. Whereas the material manufacture and supply are assigned to local firms including Metalex to supply steel poles and bolts, and Alurays Lighting Technology to supply lightings units to decorate Corniche Street with the beauty of palm frond, the triangular shape of palm trunks and random lengths of its leaves. The clarity of these designs at night was also considered in the design features by providing them with special lighting.
Leaves Shaped lighting poles
Lighting poles designed in the form of leaves will be installed by Al Nasr Holding Company. Supply of materials was assigned to other local factories including Qalex, Metro Smart International, and Jets Projects to provide aluminum poles, baseline bolts, aluminum lighting provisions and street light modules. It is planned to install 1,160 poles in Central Doha streets such as Grand Hamad Street, Jabor bin Mohammed Street, A Ring Road, Museum Street and neighboring streets connecting to Doha Corniche.
Ashghal has implemented 51 building projects during the past five years costing around QAR 6.1 billion, and the share of local products used is about 70 percent. Ashghal is also planning to implement 43 building projects in the next five years at a total cost of 4 billion Qatar Riyals.
Ta’heel initiative
Through the Ta’heel initiative launched in 2017, so far Ashghal has rehabilitated more than 150 local manufacturers to supply materials for Ashghal projects, which were otherwise imported from outside. Thus, local manufactures supplied more than 60 basic materials such as lighting poles and fixtures, drainage pipes, signboards, traffic safety elements, electrical cables, irrigation materials, and construction supplies for parks.
