Manama: Qataris have called for developing unconventional ideas to help tackle frustrating woes in their increasingly traffic-congested capital Doha.
Large construction sites and infrastructure improvement work launched as part of the huge expansion plans for the city ahead of the 2022 World Cup finals that it will host have reportedly made it difficult for drivers to move and arrive at work or home on time, local daily Al Arab said on Tuesday.
“The situation will be compounded next week when thousands of students go back to school, which means more vehicles on the roads,” they said. “The heavy traffic has often brought the capital to a standstill and the new detours and signs are constantly testing the composure of the drivers forced to spend more than one hour to come safely out of the congestion.”
Solutions should include forcing all contractors to deploy various teams of workers throughout the day and the night to ensure that the construction projects are completed promptly, the Qataris said, referring mainly to the work near the Corniche, the waterfront promenade extending for several kilometres along the Doha Bay, and a major highway in and out of the city.
Other ideas could be the introduction of flexible timings for employees and for students to avoid rush hour congestion and common time on the road, the Qataris told the daily.
Some of the work being carried out in Doha includes the construction and expansion of highways, including a new one that connects the capital with the Saudi borders, expressways, road networks, ring roads, metro lines, tram routes, a high-speed line, dedicated freight railways and an airport that will be one of the largest in the world.
