Ashghal Road operations and maintenance staff at work at a site in northern region of Qatar

Ramesh Mathew/Staff Reporter

The Roads Operations and Maintenance Department of the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) inspects approximately 5,000km of roads spread over 700 routes across Qatar every month, according to the authority's annual report.
The department is in charge of reconstruction, and maintenance of roads across the country and its works also include those concerning the safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians.
The increased levels of inspections carried out have contributed to greater knowledge of the highways’ conditions, the report has said.
The department takes care of the maintenance of traffic detours, site clearance, service ducts, earth works, sub-base and road base, foot ways for pedestrian safety, traffic signs and road markings among others.
The report describes the commissioning of the emergency vehicle preemption system that allows traffic lights at intersections to recognise and facilitate the flawless movement of Civil Defence vehicles and ambulances as one of its major achievements. The system was commissioned in co-operation with the Hamad Medical Corporation. More than 30 major intersections in Doha have been equipped with the system.
The installation of Over-height Vehicle Detection system to impose greater control over trucks, and protect bridges and tunnels is also considered a key achievement of the department this year.
The department is studying more interchanges to equip them with the system which detects vehicles that violate the maximum legal height of 5.5m.
The department has also identified more than 660km for development of roads under its rural roads programme. The areas include Rawdat al-Rashed, Mazrooah and Jemaliya, all on the western side of Doha.
Pedestrian safety improvements were made on Furousiya Street in Muaither area with the installation of fencing, subway maintenance and improved footpaths. This year, pedestrian crossings were completed at the City Center Doha Area, and new pedestrian signals are planned for Al Jazeera and Arabiya Street.
Another notable achievement is the launching of the Schools Zone Safety Programme, focusing on improving the safety of children and other road users in the vicinity of educational institutions.
The department's efforts to build more truck parking areas are in progress in areas such as Al Khor, Al Wakrah, Al Karana and Umm Salal. All the four areas have been graded, compacted and asphalt accesses provided to the nearest road networks, according to the report. Street lights have also been installed around the respective parking areas.