Just Real Estate (JRE), the leading property service provider, based in Doha, Qatar, has opened the doors to its new home – a 1,000 square meter, luxury real estate sales center in Al Shoumoukh Tower.

Engineer Nasser Al-Ansari, JRE Chairman, officially inaugurated the first of its kind real estate sales center in the Middle East during a grand ceremony attended by prominent businessmen, stakeholders and distinguished members of the local and regional media. The deluxe new venue, situated on C-Ring Road in the heart of Doha, presents JRE with the ideal opportunity to showcase its full range of world-class services to real estate investors, buyers and potential tenants. 

“JRE is a one-stop destination for all real estate solutions. We manage and facilitate sales and leasing opportunities in some of the most exclusive real estate projects in Qatar and abroad, provide marketing communications expertise, development management, asset management and property and facilities management so it was important to us to have a home that reflects our vision,” Engineer Al-Ansari said at the opening. “With this luxurious new headquarters we now have the perfect platform to continue exceeding the needs of our clients and showcasing our expanding portfolio.

The lavish new location will enable market leader JRE to present visitors with deeper insights into the firm’s flourishing collection with display models giving clients a clearer perspective of available opportunities in Qatar and abroad. A dedicated in-house team will also use the new center as a base to develop marketing strategies for JRE’s local and international collection. The world-class real estate sales center is classically designed, boasting 15-meter high ceilings and walls made from black marble imported from Italy. Stylishly split over the ground and mezzanine floors, it also houses a vast welcome area, VIP meeting rooms and lounges, once again reflecting the JRE mission to provide its clients with the ultimate in customer service.

Engineer Al-Ansari added: “These are exciting times for Qatar, its real estate sector and for Just Real Estate. This move to a new home is a sign of our intent to continue as the leader in property solutions. From our new base we can more efficiently lead, guide and inform our clients about real estate investment opportunities.” JRE has a diverse property portfolio in Qatar’s burgeoning real estate sector, with highlights including THE e18hteen, a luxury commercial building positioned on the edge of the Lusail Marina District; Jenan Residence, which offers attractive mixed-use properties also located in Lusail’s Marina District;

The View Residence, a 15-storey residential complex in the prestigious Qutaifiya area near the Diplomatic Club. La Verna Villas & Residences is a state-of-the-art compound serving up the ultimate in family living in Doha, and covering an impressive 39,572 square metre plot, while the Samrya project includes The Samrya Twin Towers, a new stylish high-rise that complements the attractive skyline in the upscale West Bay district of Doha; The luxurious residential units, Samrya 44; and the opulent hotel apartments of Samrya Village.

In just 12 months, JRE has earned a reputation as an influential figure in overseas markets by adding properties in UK, US and Turkey to its growing list of options now available to investors seeking international assets. JRE is the exclusive  referral agent in Qatar for:  Riverwalk, Chiltern Place and The Heron- owned by Ronson Capital Partners LLP - a trio of coveted residential addresses that offer prime addresses in the heart of the UK capital with access to the city’s range of amenities and attractions. Ronson Capital Partners LLP  will be in Doha from 21 March 2017 for one month to showcase the three prime residential developments to Middle Eastern buyers at the new Just Real Estate sales centre.

Additionally, the company’s rapidly growing global reputation for managing property has resulted in the addition of two prestigious US addresses to its portfolio: 75 Kenmare, a collection of  38 apartments in an ultra-modern building that seamlessly blends with the old structures and cosmopolitan vibe of the historic NoLita neighborhood, situated at the intersection of SoHo and Little Italy in New York City, and  87 Park, Miami,  a new 18-storey residential building situated on the shores of sun-kissed Miami Beach and home to 70 sumptuous villas - all of which come with unobstructed views of the Atlantic Ocean, parkland and the distinctive skyline of Miami.

JRE’s overseas interests also extend into Turkey, where the company manages Taksim 360, an exciting  mixed-use development that comprises residential units, office space and a hotel complex featuring commercial retail outlets and boutique units. The property solutions leader also facilities opportunities in the Quasar & Fairmont Residence Istanbul, an all-inclusive property comprising a residential tower under Quasar branding, office space, and the Fairmont Residence and Hotel Tower with a street-level shopping arcade boasting great opportunity to potential customers.

Sloanes Real Estate Brokers, a subsidiary of the SABBAN Group of Companies, is holding its Quarterly International Property Open Day on March 27 at their offices located at Tornado Tower in West Bay between 4 PM until 7 PM.

During the event, Sloanes will exclusively unveil exciting properties from various developments in the United Kingdom and Turkey that will feature various styles to cater to the needs of its customers. The properties will consist of studios, one to four-bedroom apartments, penthouses, beachside homes, forest villas, land and student accommodation with prices starting from QAR 250,000 and some offering 8% net yield guaranteed for five years. “We are delighted to be at the forefront of residential development and excited to exclusively present our new developments in Europe and Turkey which we are very confident will play a progressive and leading role in the future of property investment,” said Dan Strutt, General Manager, Sloanes Real Estate Qatar. “The real estate market in these areas continues to draw significant interest from Qatari investments.”

The open day will introduce apartments from the UK’s most popular buy-to-let areas in the city of Manchester and Liverpool. The first brand new residential project comprises of 183 units over an 8 storey building at the heart of the city, located near Market Street, Manchester’s main shopping area. The project will include ground floor commercial units, communal facilities, internal shared courtyard, roof top amenity gardens, and a wired video door entry system for 24 hour security. Due for completion in Q1 2019, the project offers a 10-year build warranty to help build confidence among buyers. Two exclusive projects will be introduced in Liverpool offering the rare chance to invest in an unparalleled location within Liverpool’s UNESCO World Heritage Waterfront and another with uninterrupted views of the River Mersey.

Sloanes popular Student Accommodation offering is located in Sheffield and consists of a 5-storey building that comprises 127 residential apartments. The project which is set to be completed in Q3 2018, grants a lease of 250-years to investors. “Student housing has become a substantial growing market and now is the time to address the growing need for adequate student housing,” added Dan. “The UK has over 2.2 million higher education students, with the large majority of them living away from university campuses due to the shortage of student housing available.”

The open day will also showcase a new project in Turkey which offers a unique and luxurious living experience along with the “hotel concept” services. Located on the Basin Express road, the development contains 432 one and two bedroom residential units, with prices starting from QAR 630,000. Turkey and Qatar have witnessed healthy growth in bilateral investments over the past few years, reaching QAR 4.73bn in 2015 with Qataris ranked among the top 10 countries investing in Turkey. Sloanes Real Estate Brokers is an international agency focusing on renting, selling, and managing high-end real estate properties in Qatar, and around the region. Sloanes also operates in Dubai and Jeddah and offer properties from Saudi Arabia, UAE, UK, Turkey, Germany, and France.

The Public Works Authority, ‘Ashghal’ will implement a 12-hour traffic diversion on part of Lusail Street, to complete finishing works ahead of opening the main tunnel of Onaiza Interchange, part of its Lusail Expressway project.

The diversion will be placed on part of Lusail Street, in front of St. Regis Hotel until Katara signalised junction. The diversion will last for 12 hours from 11 pm on Friday 31 March 2017 until 11 am on Saturday 1 April 2017. During this period, traffic in both directions between the Old Exhibition Centre signalised junction and Katara signalised junction, will be closed.

Road users travelling from West Bay towards The Pearl and Lusail will be required to turn left to University Street (also known as Al Jamiaa Street) at the signal-controlled junction and follow the diversion route. Those travelling in the opposite direction, will be required to turn right onto West Bay Lagoon Street at the Katara signalised junction and follow the diversion route as shown on the attached map. The Public Works Authority requests all road users to abide by the speed limit, and follow newly implemented traffic road signs to ensure their safety.

The Public Works Authority, ‘Ashghal’, will divert a 7.8 kilometre section of Mesaieed Road onto a parallel route to enable the construction of an additional four-lane carriageway between Al Wakra and Mesaieed.

The proposed road change, which will start five kilometres south of Al Wakra, has been designed in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic. The northbound and southbound lanes will be shifted in two phases, commencing on Saturday 1 April 2017, with an expected operation period of 12 months. The four additional lanes are being constructed as part of the New Orbital Highway and Truck Route project and, on completion, will double the vehicle capacity on Mesaieed Road.

As illustrated on the attached map, the minor road change will divert road users heading in each direction between Al Wakra and Mesaieed onto permanent parallel routes. There will be no change to the existing exit points and loop ramps on the roundabout 10 kilometres south of Al Wakra or the recently opened interchange near Hamad Port. Ashghal also advises that it will not reduce the existing number of lanes on Mesaieed Road, and road users will still have access to two lanes in each direction for the length of the 7.8 kilometre distance.

The speed limit on Mesaieed Road will remain at 80 kph. The Public Works Authority requests all road users to abide by the speed limit, and follow newly implemented traffic road signs to ensure their safety.

Qatar on Thursday denied it was violating a new labour law by blocking migrants from leaving the country, saying it was committed to enforcing reforms to improve the rights of millions of foreign workers.

A new law making it easier for migrants to change jobs and leave the oil-rich Gulf state - where many of them have been recruited to build soccer stadiums ahead of the 2022 Fifa World Cup - came into effect in December. But rights groups say the new law is not being enforced and that scores of migrant workers from countries such as India, Bangladesh and Nepal have been refused permission to leave the country since the law was passed. The Qatari government said in a statement that any suggestion it was not committed to enforcing the reforms or that it was denying the freedom of movement of foreign workers was "false".

Around 90 percent of Qatar's 2.5 million population are migrants. Many work in low paid construction jobs to build stadiums and infrastructure for the 2022 Fifa World Cup. But Doha's "kafala" sponsorship system - under which migrants cannot change jobs or leave the country without their employer's permission - has come under scrutiny in recent years with allegations that the system amounts to forced labour. Qatar passed a law on Dec. 13 scrapping the need for migrants to get exit permits from employers, and imposing fines on employers who confiscate workers' passports and withhold their salaries. But trade unionists say migrants still require an exit permit from the government - and that more than 200 migrants have been blocked from leaving Qatar since the law was passed.

The Qatari government confirmed that 213 out of 184,551 requests for exit permits have been denied, but said this was because the individuals were facing criminal charges. "We have explicitly stated that expatriates would be prevented from leaving Qatar if there is strong evidence that the expatriate has committed fraud or is attempting to evade prosecution for a crime," the government statement said. The International Labour Organization has given Doha until November to implement the reforms or potentially face an investigation into the forced labour of migrants in the lead up to hosting the World Cup.

source: Reuters

The Public Works Authority opened today the main tunnel in Onaiza Interchange, which is one of the key three Interchanges on Lusail Expressway. The opening was in attendance of H.E. Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmad Al Muhannadi, President of the Public Works Authority, and a number of senior officials from the Ministry of Transportation and Communication, from the Public Works Authority and from the General Directorate of Traffic in the Ministry of Interior.

H.E. Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmad Al Muhannadi, President of the Public Works Authority said that the opening of the main tunnel in Onaiza Interchange comes after a week of the inspectional visit of H.E. the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior to the tunnel site. This emphasises that H.E.’s continuous visits to projects’ sites, without a doubt, form a great support and important motivation for everyone in Ashghal and the contractors to double the efforts and projects progress, which was achieved through the opening of this important part of Lusail Expressway, four months ahead of schedule.

H.E. also pointed out the keenness of H.E. the Prime Minister to continue the close onsite follow up of the projects’ progress, and H.E. directions to deliver Ashghal’s projects on time or ahead of schedule. H.E. Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmad Al Muhannadi said that the opening of the main tunnel in Onaiza Interchange today will contribute in a positive way in enhancing the traffic flow in the area. While the full positive impact will be felt more after the completion of the whole Lusail Expressway in January 2018, which will reduce the travel time significantly.

He said that the coming months will witness the opening of important parts of the project. Next June will witness the opening of the main bridge in West Bay Interchange. Also two new tunnels will open in The Pearl Interchange next September, prior to the full completion of the project, which also includes more than 6.5 kilometres of pedestrians and cyclists paths.

Main Tunnel in Onaiza Interchange:

The tunnel is located at the traffic lights of the current Onaiza Interchange (Doha Exhibition Centre traffic lights) and it stretches until the signal-controlled intersection in front of the Cultural Village “Katara”. The tunnel is 630 metres long and about 1 kilometre long with the access roads leading to it from south and north. Three out of four lanes are now open in the tunnel, which will provide free flow traffic for those coming from the Pearl and northern areas towards West Bay in the south, without the need to stop at the traffic light in front of the old exhibition centre.

Remaining works on Onaiza Interchange will be completed, including the bridge that will connect east of Onaiza Street with the areas it covers, such as the Cultural Village “Katara” and a number of hotels, commercial and residential areas west of Onaiza Street. The murals that Onaiza Tunnel is characterised by, are one of the architectural and artistic elements inspired by the Qatari pearl diving marine heritage. These patterns, which are derived from the fisherman’s net with its blue colour, suggest that they are ripples of a diver under the water, and at the end of the tunnel the ripples fade away in the horizon. The lighting poles were also chosen in a new way to add an aesthetic dimension in line with the overall design.

Lusail Expressway Project:

Lusail Expressway is one of the key projects of the Expressway Programme that the Public Works Authority is implementing. It is located in a vital area that connects Doha with Lusail City, and covers many public destinations such as the Pearl in the north, via Katara and the Diplomatic Area, and a big number of residential areas, hotels, malls and other facilities.

The project work area stretches over 5.5 kilometre from Lusail City in the north to the West Bay area in the south. The project works include three main multi-level interchanges, which are the Pearl Interchange, Onaiza Interchange, and West Bay Interchange, in addition to two marine bridges over the South and North Canal Crossings near the Pearl and Lusail City. Upon its completion, the main carriageway of Lusail Expressway will consist of four lanes in each direction, in addition to a big number of feeder service roads to connect the different destinations with the expressway. The design also focuses on enhancing traffic safety for pedestrians and providing healthy lifestyle, through building 6.5 kilometres of separate pedestrians and cyclists paths.

After the completion of the main tunnel, work on the four-level Onaiza Interchange will continue, which includes a main road with four lanes in each direction between West Bay Interchange and the Pearl Interchange. It also includes besides Onaiza Tunnel, which will open in April, a flyover that will connect east of Onaiza Street and the areas it covers such as the Cultural Village “Katara” and residential areas and hotels in the area, with the west of Onaiza Street, which also includes residential areas and a number of embassies and schools.

In June 2017, the flyover in West Bay Interchange will open to traffic, and will carry the traffic coming from Katara to the West Bay without stopping. This will enhance traffic flow in the area and provide a work zone on the ground level of the interchange to continue construction works of West Bay Interchange. This interchange is a three-level interchange that includes the main road on the lower level with three lanes in each direction and connects south of West Bay Interchange with the northern areas. The ground level of the interchange will connect Omar Al Mukhtar Street with University Street in the west and Doha City in the east.

In September 2017, two separate tunnels will open in the Pearl Interchange, to accommodate traffic coming from and to the Pearl and connecting it with the expressway, using the two marine canals in the north and south. This will significantly reduce traffic congestion at the Pearl Interchange.

Other works will continue on the Pearl Interchange, which is a three-level interchange that will provide access to and from the residential areas in Legtaifiya Lagoon, and commercial and public institutes in the area. It will also connect Doha City with Lusail City and northern areas through the two marine bridges that are characterised by their unique design that includes waterfalls on their sides. These are the north Canal Crossing which is 200 metres long and will have six lanes in each direction providing direct access to Lusail City and norther areas. As for the South Canal Crossing, it is 125 metres long and will have eight lanes in each direction between Onaiza Interchange and the Pearl Interchange.

The Unique Architectural Character for Lusail Expressway:

The design of Lusail Expressway is an integrated system that provides traffic flow and connects Doha with the West Bay, to enhance access to the important destinations and landmarks that the area covers. The architectural characteristic of the project is inspired by the old heritage Qatari vocabulary. It forms a combination of Qatar’s past and future, given that it is the main expressway on the sea front that stretches over the northern coast of Doha City.

Lusail Expressway stretches parallel to the important landmarks and destinations on Doha’s coast, and with its location that includes the most important attractions in the country, it will become a “painting” and a road that is characterised by a unique view inspired by the old Qatari heritage in a contemporary vision.

Msheireb Properties, developer of Msheireb Downtown Doha and Qatar’s leading sustainable real estate developer, announced today it has awarded the contract for major construction work of Phase Four to Teyseer Contracting Company and Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC).

Spread over 132,000 square meters of gross floor area Phase Four is the last phase to complete Msheireb Downtown Doha. Featuring the development’s tallest building, Phase Four will consist of a major public plaza and 11 mixed-use buildings, which include commercial offices, residential and retail space, 5-star hotels, medical office building containing clinical and administrative spaces, and six car parking basements. This vibrant area will also offer residents and tenants access to Msheireb station, the largest Doha Metro station, which marks the crossing of Qatar Rail’s three metro lines, the Red, Green and Gold Lines.

The award of the last and fourth phase of Msheireb Down Town is the last contract that has been issued to complete constructing the project, enabling Msheireb Properties to realise their vision of transforming Qatar’s urban landscape. The newly appointed partners, in collaboration with Msheireb Properties, are ensuring that Msheireb Downtown Project stands up to the demands of modern life and the testing conditions that our local environment presents, providing an exciting new way to live and work. Mr. Ali Al Kuwari, Chief Officer for Design and Delivery at Msheireb Properties, commented, “We are delighted to working with Teyseer Contracting Company and Consolidated Contractors Company. Their wealth of expertise, local knowledge, and commitment to Qatar’s 2030 vision provide us with the confidence that together we will deliver the highest quality of standards, and create an iconic project that enhances the city’s urban landscape.”

Mr. Osama Al Jarbi, the general manager of Consolidated Contractors Company said, “The joint venture of Teyseer Contracting Company, TCC and Consolidated Contractors Company, allow us to enhance our services and contribute towards a world class destination that improves the aesthetics of the city and makes living and working more convenient and comfortable. On this occasion, we have the honour to partner with Msheireb Properties and we are commit to delivering exceptional quality of work and utmost professionalism, which all parties have become  distinguished with.”

Msheireb Downtown Doha (MDD) is a pioneering project developed to revive the old commercial centre of the city of Doha by bridging the past with its cultural ties and ancestry, with the demands of a modern day city. The development aims to build sustainable and innovative initiatives that enrich communities and individual lives, promote environment friendly living and rediscover and implement heritage and culture.

The Public Works Authority, ‘Ashghal’, will divert a 1.2 km section of the Dukhan Highway north service road to construct an interchange that will connect two major sections of the New Orbital Highway and Truck Route.

The proposed road change, which is located near Dehailiyat Interchange in the Umm Al Afai area, has been designed in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic. The diversion will commence on Wednesday 5 April 2017, with an expected operation period of 3 months as new alternative roads will be provided later as per the new project status.

Upon completion, the interchange will serve as a critical connector for road users travelling on the New Orbital Highway and Dukhan Highway, facilitating movement between Doha, Dukhan, Al Khor and Salwa Road. As shown on the attached map, road users that are travelling from Dukhan towards Doha that need to travel towards Salwa Road or Al Shamal Road are advised to turn right at the exit after the bridge (on the far right of the map) towards the next roundabout and take their required exit towards Salwa Road or Al Shamal Road.

Road users travelling north to Al Shamal Road from Salwa Road that need to access the Dukhan Highway north service road will need to exit at the loop ramp over Dukhan Highway and travel west towards Dehailiyat Interchange to exit to the Dukhan Highway north service road. Road users travelling south from Al Shamal Road to Salwa Road that need to access the same section of the Dukhan Highway north service road will need to travel across the bridge over Dukhan Highway, make a U-turn at the first roundabout, travel back across the bridge and exit at the same loop ramp over Dukhan Highway before travelling west towards Dehailiyat Interchange to exit to the Dukhan Highway north service road.

Ashghal advises that the road change will not impact road users travelling on the Dukhan Highway between Doha and Dukhan, nor will it affect access to the Umm Al Afai Petrol Station. The Public Works Authority additionally advises that there will be no reduction in the number of lanes on the Dukhan Highway or the New Orbital Highway and requests all road users to abide by the speed limit, which will remain at 80 kph, and follow newly implemented traffic road signs to ensure their safety.

Arcadis has successfully helped to deliver Doha Festival City, one of the largest leisure, entertainment, and retail destinations in the Middle East. The flagship development, which officially opens today, is a project that Arcadis has been proud to work on over the last six years.

Doha Festival City is a stunning mixed-use development that will be home to more than 500 retail units, including leading international and local brands. It incorporates Qatar’s first IKEA store, full-sized Monoprix hypermarket, Ace hardware store, and a range of entertainment options including a snow park, Angry Birds and Virtuocity theme parks, and an 18-screen VOX 4D cinema complex. It will be an attractive destination for residents and tourists, and an integral part of the local community. In 2011, Arcadis was appointed by Bawabat Al-Shamal Real Estate Company WLL (BASREC), the owners and developers of Doha Festival City, to provide cost and commercial management services on the development. From the very outset, the team’s market-leading benchmark data and cost modelling tools enabled them to provide accurate estimates, and ensure that the design put forward was efficient and one that could meet the return expected by equity funders in the business plan.

Throughout the construction period, the Arcadis team managed change requests from over 500 tenants and in each case, provided timely cost estimates that enabled the client to make informed decisions on spend.  A two-stage procurement process was also implemented to allow an early works contract to be let, which meant the client could start work ahead of an anticipated increase in construction costs in the Qatar market. Kareem Shamma, CEO, BASREC said: “The official opening of Doha Festival City is a proud moment for all of the parties that have supported the scheme over the last six years. Throughout this period, the Arcadis team has consistently provided excellent cost and commercial management advice. This has enabled us to deliver a world-class development that’s already exceeding the expectations of our visitors, tenants and investors.”

Jack Overkamp, Qatar Managing Director, Arcadis added: “The opening of Doha Festival City is another important milestone in Qatar’s incredible journey. Arcadis is proud to have been involved on a scheme that’s helping to improve quality of life in Doha, by providing the city’s growing population with access to first-class leisure, retail and entertainment facilities.” Arcadis has worked on a large number of retail and mixed-use developments across the Middle East including City Walk, Mall of the Emirates and Mirdif City Centre in Dubai, the Al Wahda shopping mall in Abu Dhabi and Muscat City Centre in Oman amongst many others.

As part of the ongoing cooperation between the Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ and the General Directorate of Civil Defense “GDCD”, Ashghal activated its strategic partnership with the GDCD by raising the slogan ‘Hand in Hand to Prevent Risks’, through applying civil defense safety requirements in all of the Authority’s buildings.

A meeting between Ashghal and the General Directorate of Civil Defense was attended by Mr. Mohammed Ali Darwish, Director of Technical Support Affairs, Mr. Mishal Sultan Al Hitmi, Director of General Services Affairs, and a number of managers and employees from Ashghal. Attendees from the Ministry of Interior included Brigadier Hamad Othman Al Duhimi, Assistant Director-General of the GDCD, in addition to head sections and officers.

The partnership between the Public Works Authority and the General Directorate of Civil Defense is activated through implementing the slogan "Hand in Hand for Risk Prevention". It aims to follow and implement safety requirements in all of the Authority’s buildings, starting from the design stage to the implementation stage, under the slogan “Safety First” which is adopted by Ashghal inside its buildings and at its project sites. During the meeting, Ashghal’s directors honoured the attendees from the Ministry of Interior, represented by the GDCD, in recognition of their efforts in supporting Ashghal and contributing to its employee’s skills development to ensure the safety of the Authority’s staff and properties.

Mr. Meshal Sultan Al-Hitmi, Director of General Services Affairs, emphasised the Authority's keenness to develop a safety management system that aims to provide a safe working environment for its employees through the development of general safety policies and implementation of evacuation drills, in addition to the necessary trainings provided for employees. “In cooperation with the General Directorate of Civil Defense, we succeeded in training 160 employees who received theoretical and practical training on the principles of fire extinction and emergency evacuation. Some of them received accredited certifications as international trainers,” He added.

Yousuf Ahmed Al-Obaidli, General Services Department Manager, said that the corporation between Ashghal and the General Directorate for the Civil Defense will continue through fire-fighting and emergency trainings conducted for Ashghal employees; including the evacuation drills that are repeated twice per year. This is in addition to applying the awareness programme “Safe Pathway”, which aims to train security and safety specialists in Ashghal through the Media and Preventive Education section at the GDCD.

For his part, Abdullah Al Khayareen, Head of General Services Section and Evacuation Project Manager, praised the efforts of the General Directorate of Civil Defense in terms of enhancing security and safety in Qatar in general, through its initiatives in raising and promoting public awareness whether through written and visual media, or the various social media platforms. He continued: “The Public Works Authority pays high attention to providing security and safety requirements in all of its buildings, and is always keen to preserve the emergency and firefighting systems and equipment in a clean and accessible work environment. The authority also ensures that those systems are maintained and continue working as required, in addition to their readiness for any emergency.”

“Through frequent repeated evacuations, we have noticed increased awareness among Ashghal staff with regards to evacuation plans. This was reflected in the record times spent by emergency officials from each department to evacuate buildings during previous evacuations," he added. Brigadier Hamad Al Duhaimi, Assistant Director-General of the General Directorate of Civil Defense, stressed the importance of cooperating with Ashghal and other institutions with regards to preserving lives and protecting them from risks, as well as enhancing activation of the slogan "Hand in Hand for Risk Prevention" through more initiatives and training provided by the Department to Ashghal staff.

First Lieutenant Eng. Abdullah Issa Al Kaabi, Inspection Officer at the Prevention Department, explained the differences between establishments, the different security and safety requirements of each establishment according to its nature, the role of the General Directorate of Civil Defense in inspection processes, and the role of the Engineering Drawings Section in revising the requirements needed to ensure peoples’ safety. He also pointed out that the Media and Preventive Education Section organises several training courses to explain how to carry out evacuations and to train Ashghal’s staff to implement evacuations, in coordination with the General Directorate of Civil Defense.

The Public Works Authority (Ashghal), as part of its efforts to convert roundabouts to signal-controlled intersections in the vital areas of the country it started converting TV Roundabout to an intersection. Most traffic diversions and closures will take place during the summer break the conversion of the roundabout to an intersection will be completed before the start of the new academic year.

Following this, work on the other phases of the project will start, which include widening 300m of each of the streets leading to the roundabout to have four main lanes and three lanes to turn left This is in addition to pedestrians’ crossings that will be added on each side of the intersection. The streets that will be widened are Khalifa Street, Abdul Aziz bin Jasim Street, and Ahmad bin Ali Street, in addition to converting two roundabouts on Abdul Aziz bin Jasim Street to signal-controlled intersections.The traffic signal at the intersection of Ahmad bin Ali with Al Jazira Al Arabiya streets will also be developed to facilitate access to the TV buildings and the nearby residential areas. Works will also include developing the service roads in the area. 

After project completion, the road capacity for main traffic will increase by 25 percent to 30 percent and by 100 percent for those turning left or making a u-turn due to adding three new dedicated lanes.The waiting time at the intersection will also be reduced by about 50 percent as a result of connecting the traffic signal at the intersection with other signals on the surrounding streets. Converting roundabouts to signal-controlled intersections greatly enhances traffic flow, therefore 'Ashghal' is converting as many roundabouts as possible in vital areas.

sbe, the leading privately-held lifestyle hospitality company, today revealed further details of the extraordinary design of Mondrian Doha at a press conference in Milan, Italy, hosted by the group’s chief brand officer, Michele Caniato, in collaboration with Marcel Wanders and South West Architecture (SWA). 

The preview of Mondrian Doha and it’s highly-anticipated design aptly took place during the world’s biggest design fair, Salone del Mobile, happening in Milan this week from 4 - 9 April, 2017. Caniato spoke with renowned Dutch interior designer, Marcel Wanders, and Mr Wadah Azrak, president of Qatar’s most prominent architectural firm, SWA, to delve deeper into the creative process and intricate details that make up what will be a landmark property in Doha. The lavish 270-room Mondrian Doha hotel is set to be an exceptional lifestyle offering for the destination when it opens at the end of quarter two, 2017 and becomes sbe’s first hotel in the Middle East as well as Marcel Wanders’ first hotel for the region. Today, further information on the hotel’s entertainment offering was announced for the first time, including details of the hotel’s eight restaurants and bars, dedicated nightclub zone, expansive ballroom and rooftop pool and bar, complete with stained glass dome. 

Michele Caniato, chief brand officer, sbe said: “What better place for us to reveal the exciting details of our forthcoming Mondrian Doha hotel than at the most prestigious design show known across the globe. It is an honour to be here today, introducing you to our magical hotel and celebrating our close partnership with Marcel Wanders and Mr Azrak of SWA.” Mr Wadah Azrak, president, South West Architecture, commented: “This has been a significant project for SWA, and we are delighted to showcase our first hotel in Qatar. The building was conceived as a falcon, an important national symbol for Qatar that sits atop its nest. We hope to see you soon in Doha and show you this incredible property.” 

Marcel Wanders commented: “For the design of Mondrian Doha and everything we do, locale is super important. To create the hotel, we studied the city, we studied the people. We don’t create interiors, we create destinations and Mondrian Doha is a destination in itself that needs to be discovered. We invite people to join us on the journey through to the hotel, it is a journey that has no end. Stepping into Mondrian Doha begins the first chapter of a wonderful story that unfolds and presents surprises around every turn.” 

As the conference revealed, found on the 26th and 27th floor of Mondrian Doha is a truly remarkable space. The rooftop pool and bar, Rise, is a city of its own, created with black and white bricks and offering an abundance of natural light which shines through the stained glass dome to create rays of coloured light. Modern technology has allowed the pattern of a peony tiffany lamp to be printed on the skylight glass, making it the largest tiffany lamp in the world. Under the colourful sky of the glass dome is the black and white city below; the pool area, which houses luxury wooden and crystal lamps, white leather seating and wooden sunbeds.

The magnificent ballroom was also revealed at the conference. The largest in the region, the ballroom is an elegant, transformable space that can be adapted to suit every occasion, from lavish weddings and award ceremonies to larger functions and presentations. Brides can enjoy the most glamourous of entrances with the use of an incredible 24 carat gold sculpted caged elevator which links the secret bridal suite directly to the ballroom. A fantasy-like environment, true to the Marcel Wanders design and the Mondrian ethos, is waiting to be explored by guests. Each day at Mondrian Doha will offer a new discovery and create a new memory – with enlightening scenes from the iconic lobby arrival through to the mesmerising stained glass dome skylight on the 27th floor.

For further information about Mondrian Doha visit www.mondriandoha.com

Qatar is fueling the doubling of the global Future Cities market to USD 758 billion by 2020, experts announced today on the sidelines of the Arab Future Cities Summit.

“Worldwide, Qatar is a leader in fostering Future Cities, with Qatar National Vision 2030 guiding national digital transformation. Sharing information in real-time is delivering new levels of efficiency and digital citizen services that save time and money,creating a ‘frictionless city’ and local jobs,” said Gergi Abboud (pictured), Managing Director for the Gulf, North Africa, Levant, and Pakistan at digital transformation enabler SAP.

SAP is supporting Qatar’s ambitious plans by exchanging best practices from its Future Cities program, which co-innovates with over 4,500 local governments worldwide. SAP is also seeing strong success in supporting Qatar’s Future Cities entrepreneurs through the SAP Start-up Focus Program. Experience SAP’s Future Cities demos at the Arab Future Cities Summit, running from 10-11 April.

Supported by the National Traffic Safety Committee, Advanced Conferences & Meetings is proud to launch Smart Parking Qatar Conference in its 2^ndedition, at The Intercontinental Hotel The City, Doha. This event constitutes a platform for developing car park management strategies and innovations for sustainable and liveable cities.

The conference started with a keynote speech from Rashed Taleb Al Nabit, Assistant Undersecretary for Land Transport in the Ministry of Transport and Communications, who announced that the Ministry is currently undertaking several initiatives to implement GIS systems and smart applications which would assist all relevant entities in the country in terms of future parking plans, in addition to projects related to the National Road Safety Strategy.The Ministry has also recently launched several projects for the planning and development of road networks and means to support this development, including Qatar Parking Master Plan.

Smart Parking Qatar brought together key officials and decision makers from Ministry of Transport and Communications, Public Works Authority, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Municipality and Environment, Ministry of Awqaf & Islamic Affairs, Ministry of Youth & Sports, Hamad International Airport, Hamad Medical Corporation, Msheireb Properties, and Atkins. This event featured exciting presentations among which we can mention: “The Importance of safety in parking and requirements” by Brig. Mohamed Al Malki, General Secretary of the National Traffic Safety Committee, “The future of smart parking technology in Qatar” by Dr. Hamid Menouar from Qatar Mobility Innovations Center, “Parking strategies around major sports venues in Qatar” by Moen Azimi from Arab Engineering Bureau,and a panel discussion on the “successful parking strategies and technologies for Qatar”, moderated by Nabeel Al Zaka from Surface Mobility Consultants.

The response to this event was hugely positive as delegates and sponsors enjoyed a stellar line-up of speakers as well as the opportunity to network with the industry’s key decision makers.“Excellent conference” said the General Secretary of the National Traffic Safety Committee, “A well organised event with great contribution from speakers”” stated a Parking Expert from the Southend-On-Sea Borough Council, “Very good event as it showcases the technical and financial benefits of the new smart parking technologies compared to the conventional parking solutions” said the General Manager of IETG.

Smart Parking Qatar was held with the participation of IETG-DongYang, Park Assist, Integrated Scientific Technologies, Skidata, IPD Group, MIC, RUUD Lighting, Jumbo Electromech, Actron, Nedap, Civic Smart, Telephony, Traffic Tech, and Scheidt &Bachmann.

For more information about the conference, please visit www.smartparkingqatar.com

In part of its year-long events calendar, United Development Company (UDC), master developer of The Pearl-Qatar, will be hosting a concert by the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra’s brass section, the Orchestra being a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.

The concert led by Bob Ross will feature a variety of well-known musical performances, and will be held Friday, April 14, 2017 from 4:00 pm to 5:00 p.m. at Qanat Quartier. This time, Scottish conductor Bob Ross, returns to Qatar to perform at an open concert at the charming Qanat Quartier, offering the island’s fast-growing community the unique opportunity to enjoy an international symphonic performance. The event reflects the island’s growing reputation as a tourism and entertainment hub particularly during this time of year when the weather attracts an increasing number of visitors to the island.

As the newest and most exciting shopping and dining destination in Doha and particularly The Pearl, Qanat Quartier is the perfect location for such a musical event that is set to bring more enjoyment and fun to the hundreds of this precinct’s weekly visitors. Today, Qanat Quartier counts more than 50 stores including a variety of restaurants, cafes and retail boutiques, boasting a charming view over Venetian-like water canals. An approximate 210,000 vehicles enter The Pearl-Qatar weekly and more than 10 million vehicles annually. These impressive figures not only contribute to the island's commercial and leisure activity; they also demonstrate the uniqueness of The Pearl in providing an eclectic retail mix amidst charming natural scenery and splendid architecture, which have altogether succeeded in attracting large numbers of visitors and tourists.

The Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ participated in Qatar Steel’s workshop about “optimisation of steel slag in construction”, to discuss how to utilize steel slag and recycling to use it in roads projects, through adding steel slag for asphalt and concrete mixtures.

HE. Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmed Al-Muhannadi President of the Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ delivered a speech at the opening of the workshop, in which he pointed to the support of the Public Works Authority for all promising initiatives that include the use of alternative local materials, including materials from recycling or waste from industries that can be recycled to meet the country's aspirations for a sustainable environment. He declared that a ream from Ashghal lead by Eng. Khaled Mohammed Al-Emadi, Quality and Safety Department manager in Ashghal, participate in partnership with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment and the British Transport Research Institute and Qatar Steel, for using steel slag in asphalt and concrete mixtures and compare the results with local and international requirements and standards.

The project team, in cooperation with local contractors, created new asphalt and concrete mixtures that have steel slag as a partial alternative for imported stones. The asphalt mixtures were used to build a test road in Mesaieed area, in addition to using the pre-cast concrete mixtures in building road barriers, manholes and underground construction works. Over 30 months, which is the project period, the field and laboratory tests results proved that the new mixtures meet the approved quality standards. On another note, those innovative mixtures contribute to finding a solution for the accumulation of waste, through creating technical methods that aim to benefit from it in construction, saving at least 20 to 40 % of imported building stones, and with a similar adequacy. 

HE. Al Muhannadi added: “the positive results that the team got are evidence of the coherence and coordination between the government entities and industrial companies aiming to serve the goals of the country that tackle the environmental issues. It also encourages the Qatari community to use the new technology that contributes to developing the environmental work and offers a developed and ideal service for the country and the community. From its side, Ashghal effectively contributes to all initiatives that aim to reach these goals, whereas Ashghal mainly participates in all Qatar Construction Standards committees and in the National Construction Materials Committee”.

The workshop was attended by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment representatives and the Public Works Authority, as well as a number of representatives of concerned government agencies, university professors, research centers and a group of engineers and consultants in government and private sectors.

The Authority received the Qatar Steel Award in recognition of its efforts in “Optimisation of steel slag in construction” and Ashghal’s team was awarded for finding effective solutions to preserve the environment, and participate in making use of the waste steel in the Authority’s projects.HE. President of Ashghal honored Ashghal team members to encourage them to move forward and cooperate with other entities to achieve the desired objectives.

The Public Works Authority, ‘Ashghal’, announces that it will divert traffic on Lijmiliya Road for two months to enable the construction of a 2.3 kilometre section of new road on the Al Sheehaniya – Leatooriya – Lijmiliya expressway project.

The proposed road change, which will occur approximately 1 kilometre south of Lijmiliya, has been designed in coordination with the General Directorate of Traffic. It will be implemented on Tuesday 18April 2017, and will only be in operation until the end of June. The road change is essential to complete the construction of the Al Sheehaniya – Leatooriya – Lijmiliya Road expressway project, a new 31 kilometre expressway that will more efficiently link the regional towns of Al Sheehaniya, Leatooriya and Lijmiliya.

Once complete, the new expressway will enhance transport efficiency in rural Qatar by providing motorists with two lanes in each direction, which is double the vehicle capacity of the previous road. The project will simultaneously improve road safety through the installation of guard rails, street lighting and intelligent transport systems.

As shown on the attached map, the minor road change will shift motorists to a parallel route on the left hand side of the existing carriageway. Ashghal advises that there will be no reduction in the existing number of lanes, and road users will still have access to one lane in each direction. The Public Works Authority requests all road users to abide by the speed limit, which has been reduced from 100kph to 50 kph,and follow newly implemented traffic road signs to ensure their safety.

United Development Company (UDC), a leading Qatari shareholding company and master developer of The Pearl-Qatar, today announced its quarterly financial results for the first quarter of 2017. The Company’s net profit amounted to QR 244 million, while the net profit attributable to equity shareholders stood at QR 231 million, and the basic earnings per share stood at QR 0.65

The first quarter marked a special start of the year for the Company as it smoothly transitioned from 2016 and accelerated the development of various residential and commercial areas by allocating the necessary resources for promising leading projects in real estate and infrastructure development, hospitality, property management and others. The first quarter of 2017 also saw an increase in revenues of 68% compared to the same period of last year. This reiterates the Company’s capacity to provide source of income with good returns despite the current instability in the real-estate market. While UDC is well concentrated on long-term opportunities, it diligently continues to focus on its core activities, trusted to yield stable financial results.

During the first quarter, the Company witnessed a steady increase in the retail leasing percentage in The Pearl-Qatar. As such, the volume of leased retail properties during Q1 2017 increased by 22% compared to the first quarter last year, in addition to the sales volume of residential units of 25% on a year-by-year basis. This progressive trend is expected to continue as the island prepares to welcome a wider selection of retail shops on The Pearl-Qatar demonstrating UDC’s ability to increase revenues and maintain operational stability.

Moreover, the Company’s effective policy of managing general and administrative costs has resulted in a healthy expense to income ratio of 11%. UDC’s achievements in the first quarter of 2017, include a great deal as the Company sold at a record time of 5 days, the first phase of residential units at Al Mutahidah Towers in Viva Bahriya. The Company also announced availability of The Pearl Tower 1 for leasing, which provides state-of-the-art office space and the latest commercial project on The Pearl-Qatar. On the retail front, The Pearl-Qatar inaugurated 20 new shops in Porto Arabia, Medina Centrale and Qanat Quartier. The shops feature a variety of brands targeting a wide segment of the Island's population and visitors and represent a great addition to The Pearl-Qatar's list of attractions for visitors, tourists and residents alike.

In the first quarter of the year, UDC successfully launched a free public Wi-Fi solution on The Pearl-Qatar, in partnership with Ooredoo. The public Wi-Fi connection is now accessible to both visitors and shoppers. The quarter also saw the opening of a Government Services Complex in Medina Centrale on The Pearl-Qatar, where ten governmental agencies and the Traffic Directorate offer their services to both citizens and residents. The Complex represents a significant addition to the myriad of integrated commercial services on the Island and comes to cement the position of The Pearl-Qatar as an ideal location to live and conduct businesses in the country.

UDC has also revamped its website, making it more accessible to users who will now enjoy a faster and richer browsing experience. As for the Company’s construction projects, UDC kicked off infrastructure construction works at Giardino Village, one of the most promising residential areas on the Island, consisting of landscaped villas that offer spectacular views of the Island's mainland in addition to building 10 residential villas in the same location. UDC is a leading Qatari public shareholding company with a mission to identify and invest in long-term projects contributing to Qatar’s growth and providing good shareholder value. Established in 1999, the company went on to be listed on the Qatar Exchange in June 2003. It has an authorized share capital of QR 3.54 billion and total assets of QR 18.3 billion at 31 March 2017. 

UDC activities cover a multitude of vital investment sectors including real estate development, property management, infrastructure and utilities, energy-intensive industries, hydrocarbon downstream manufacturing, maritime related businesses, and hospitality.

The MENA region is experiencing one of the fastest growth in the world in terms of infrastructure, including public transport both at national and international levels. To face increasing environmental challenges, ensure an equilibrated territorial development and support the welfare and human development of the citizens, Public transport is seen as a one of the key strategy by decision makers.

After a successful first edition in 2016, the 2nd Qatar Smart Ticketing and Digital Services Forum aims to provide its contributor with the most-advanced information about the services, the technologies, and the actors that allow Public Transport to actually be at the heart of the Smart City.

The conference will offer to all participants a large overview of the main hot topics and structuring issues for the future of the public transport. It will be a unique opportunity to discover the last developments in these matters, explained by fifteen relevant experts in the field who will exchange their vision in seven interactive sessions:

•             National deployment & full interoperability, from concept to reality

•             Mobile ticketing for a mobile world

•             State-of-the-art of the different ticketing approaches

•             Leading ticketing to open source solutions

•             Ticketing in the MENA region

•             Security and certification: key issues for a successful ticketing system

•             Ticketing and multiservice in the City enhance public transport attractiveness

The Qatar Smart Ticketing and Digital Services Forum is open to all, public authorities, transport and services operators, manufacturers, consultants, in order to promote widely digital technologies.

Event Location:

W Hotel - West Bay

Doha, Qatar

All information

www.eventcalypso.com

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Umm Slal Mohammed Interchange has completely opened to traffic as part of North Road Corridor Enhancement project, the Public Works Authority “Ashghal” says. The new junction implemented by Ashghal serves as an access point for the local neighbourhoods of Jeryan Jenaihat, Umm Slal Mohammed and Umm Slal Ali, located east and west of Al Shamal Road.

The interchange is made up of two graded levels, with a main bridge comprising two or three lanes in each direction to cater for 3500 vehicles per hour. Four on-and-off ramps are provided, the southern ones already opened in November 2016 whereas the northern slopes were just delivered in April 2017. The main bridge has two light signals to help organize traffic in all directions and at the four ramps in particular, boosting safety as one of the main goals adopted by Ashghal. Noteworthy, Ashghal had made a partial opening for the junction in November 2016.

Interchange Benefits

Umm Slal Mohammed Interchange will serve mobile local traffic the inhabitants of the crowded Umm Slal Mohammed area along with Umm Slal Ali, Jeryan Jenaihat and Al Kheesa as well. It will provide free flowing traffic from and to Al Shamal Road apart from jams on Al Kheesa Interchange. The new junction will bring in better access for commuters coming from and to Doha and northern areas through the service roads connecting Al Shamal Road.

Also, it will create more connections for travellers heading from the North Road and western side areas towards Jeryan Jenaihat and Al Kheesa along with Community College in Qatar, Qatar University and Al Khor Coastal Road. The intersection will bring in new routes for travellers heading from North Road and eastern side areas towards Umm Slal Mohammed and Umm slal Ali along with Barzaan Market, Umm Slal Healthcare Centre, the new Umm Slal Wholesale Market and many other business and educational facilities around.

Al Shamal Road Milestones

Umm Slal Interchange is part of North Road Corridor Enhancement Project which is completed by over 95% since Ashghal is finalizing Al Kheesa Interchange and the 200 km service roads and cycling and foot paths. Ashghal already opened the vital Al Kharaitiyat Interchange last March to serve areas of Al Kharaitiayt, Leabib, Al Ebb besides nearby highways and businesses as it creates several alternative routes for travelers from and to the North Road.

Also, Ashghal opened late 2016 Izghawa Interchange to bring in alternative routes from Lusail to Izaghawa and Al Shamal Road and businesses around and sharing more traffic with Duhail Interchange. The bridge linking Al Huwaila Road and North Road, enhancing traffic to and from RaasLaffan. The road linking Al Khor and North Road was also completed, a 5 km dual carriageway with three lanes in each direction instead of two lanes in each direction.

Ashghal delivered Umm Birkah Road, as well as Al Sakhama and Umm Al Amad Braiding Bridges to bring in easier access to areas of Al Sakhama, SanaeLehmaidi, Umm Al Amad and Umm Slal. Noteworthy, the North Road Corridor Enhancement project incorporates new services roads 200 km along from Duhail to Al Shamal Town, constructing Izghawa and Umm Slal Mohammed Interchanges, upgrading Lehweilah, Al Kheesa and Al Kharaitiyat Interchanges. Also, the improvements include revamping Al Khor Link Road, Umm Birkah Road and creating new cycling and foot paths.