Business & Finance Club - Qatar: The public works authority in Qatar awarded the main contract for the construction of the seventh phase of Doha Highway to Midmac Contracting and Turkish Yuksel Insaat in a JV agreement.

The authority, otherwise known as ASHGHAL, signed the QAR1.59 billion (AED1.6 billion) contract on Wednesday, with a view to ensuring the project’s completion in less than three years.

The development of Doha Highway is part of a wave of new road and public building-sector projects initiated by the public works authority recently, in an effort to remodel the infrastructure of the state in line with the international standards.

It covers the second phase of the Salwa Road project, consists of a four-lane, 6.9km dual carriage free-way, with provisions to accommodate local traffic through two-lane access roads on both sides.

In a statement, President Nasser Al-Mawlawi said the contract included construction of the highway and its infrastructure over a period of 30 months as of next month, and that it would also include the building of services centers, tunnels and shops.

As well as the highway itself, the package will include construction of four Single Point Urban Interchanges (SPUI) at the intersection of Salwa Road and Al Bustan Interchange (Qatar Décor), Wholesale Market Interchange, Aziziyya Interchange and New Al Ghanem Roundabout.

Implementing the project in stages, the contractor has been instructed to ensure that there are ample entry points to the surrounding shops and commercial buildings, so as not to have a negative impact on local business.

Additionally, the contractor will be responsible for upgrading a number of infrastructure services, including installation of sewer pipelines and traffic signals at the SPUIs.