Dr Hassan al-Derham (right) and Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti exchange documents after signing an agreement aimed at developing a safe and secured traffic environment at Katara.

Qatar University (QU) and Katara - the Cultural Village signed an agreement yesterday to conduct a study on the traffic flow at Katara aimed at developing a safe and secured traffic environment in the area.
The agreement was signed by QU president Dr Hassan al-Derham and Katara general manager Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim al-Sulaiti in the presence of QU College of Engineering (CENG) Dean Dr Rashid al-Ammari, QU Qatar Road Safety Studies Centre (QRSSC) director Dr Khalifa bin Nasser al-Khalifa, Katara project director Mohamed Abdulaziz al-Meer, Katara deputy general manager of operations Ahmed Abdulrahman al-Sayed, as well as CENG faculty and staff.
QRSSC will conduct the necessary survey for the existing traffic flow at Katara. It will estimate the volume of vehicles to be generated by the future development and its impacts on the traffic outside the cultural village.
“Katara has become a major cultural and touristic destination in Qatar. To ensure visits to this site are effective and enjoyable, this collaboration aims to help the cultural village develop a safe and secured traffic environment on its premises,” Dr al-Derham said.
He added that the agreement will also further reinforce collaboration between QU and Katara within the broader context of co-operation between the academic and cultural sectors.
The agreement also includes studies on the level of service of all internal intersections, traffic modelling and related analysis, internal traffic performance with master architect’s proposals, public transit measures, and adequacy of parking slots.
“Traffic safety is a very important area in a fast-developing country like Qatar and it is critical that we co-operate with government organisations to find sustainable solutions for road safety challenges that stand at the heart of the welfare and safety of the people of Qatar,” Dr al-Derham stressed.
Through the agreement, Dr al-Sulaiti hopes to realise road safety and security for the visitors of Katara which he described as the first touristic destination in Qatar. The cultural village recorded 9mn visitors in 2014 and continue to attract more visitors year on year.
“Katara attracts visitors from different ages and nationalities to attend events and festivals, and it is aware about the importance of road safety,” Dr al-Sulaiti said, adding that it will encourage more people to visit the place without concerns of traffic congestion and difficulties.
Besides assuring the “complete success of the events, this arrangement will provide new ideas fitting the architectural and cultural nature of Katara from brilliant and creative minds of QU,” he noted.
Dr al-Ammari echoed the statement of Dr al-Sulaiti saying the agreement with Katara, which is focused on studying traffic impact, aligns with the College’s research priorities.
He said it is also integral to Qatar’s vision of becoming a knowledge-based society where research plays a vital role in resolving national priority issues such as road safety.
Dr al-Ammari noted that the agreement highlights QU’s ongoing efforts to tackle daily life challenges and to respond to the needs of the society and seek solutions in the face of the country’s rapid development and progress.”
For his part, Dr al-Khalifa said the agreement highlights QRSSC’s position as a centre of excellence dedicated to the advancement of research and studies on road safety.
“It is very important to us to collaborate with partners such as Katara to find long-term solutions to the road and traffic challenges, and contribute to promoting sustainable tourism in Qatar and driving forward economic growth,” he added.