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Public transportation gets boost

Published: 27 May 2021 - 08:13 am | Last Updated: 30 May 2025 - 09:19 pm

Qatar’s infrastructure development covers projects in different sectors, like social, transportation, extraction, and manufacturing infrastructure. The main infrastructure projects include the completion of highways, expansion of water and electricity networks, sustainable and eco-friendly public transport systems.

All the concerned authorities are working together to implement a strategy to shift to clean energy in the transportation sector, reduce carbon emissions from traditional vehicles, and improve Qatar’s general climate.

According to a recent US-Qatar Business Council (USQBC) report on ‘Qatar Sustainability Report: A Leader in Green Initiatives,’ Qatar is ramping up efforts in sustainable development, such as water and electricity conservation, which includes plans to convert the country’s public transportation to electric by 25% in 2022 and by 100% in 2030. These new public transport options are planned to be introduced before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which organizers plan to promote as the primary mode of transportation for fans during the World.

Consequently, the Ashghal has started installing 653 electric chargers and 713 inverters in 41 charging sites under construction for the Public Bus Infrastructure Program to serve the fleet of electric buses to operate according to the plan set by the Ministry of Transport and Communication (MoTC).

Ashghal will construct the largest electric charging station in the region, which operates on solar energy, and monitor & control the operation of all the sites involved. High-efficiency solar cell shades will be established, becoming the first bus station in the region working purely on solar energy sources, one essential aspect of renewable energy. These sheds containing 10,720 solar panels will generate 4 megawatts per day. They will work alongside traditional sources (power stations) to feed the energy needed to operate the project with the highest standards and latest specifications.

The station will also have 217 double gun electric charging devices for buses with 150 kilowatts, in addition to five fast electric chargers with a capacity of 300 kilowatts, covering 474 bus stops.

Meanwhile, Ashghal had signed 14 new contracts worth QR2.4bn to construct bus stations and bus depots. The new bus stations and depots programme implemented by Ashghal’s Buildings Projects Department includes the construction of eight main bus stations in different areas including West Bay, Musheireb, Industrial Area, Al-Soudan, Al Gharrafa, Education City, Al Wakra, and Lusail, with an average capacity of each unit to contain 25 buses.

Ashghal will also set up 2,700 bus stops on all major roads, with air-conditioned cabins to wait inside to prevent sunlight and humidity. This will be an excellent comfort for thousands of bus users in many areas.