Ashghal continues to achieve its strategy objectives Effective And Efficient Project Management

Under the chairmanship of H.E. Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmed Al Muhannadi President of the Public Works Authority “Ashghal” and in the participation of the various Affairs’ directors, Departments’ managers and officials as well as Sections’ heads, “Ashghal” held its periodic meeting to review the progress in the implementation of its 2017 strategic objectives. (Click here to read the president's statements)

During this meeting, all the authority’s achievements during the first half of the year were showcased in a comprehensive presentation. The key performance indicators were also reviewed to assess the progress made in the achievement of the authority’s strategic objectives and initiatives and the main projects expected to be completed this year were also reviewed. Six strategic objectives were set at the beginning of the year to outline Ashghal’s priorities at this stage:

1. Qatarisation: in terms of an increase in number and development of competency levels of the existing Nationals, especially in Design, Project Management and maintenance.
2. On time delivery of all projects.
3. Reduction in projects costs
4. Fast response where service levels are defined and maintained
5. Solutions to reduce the negative impact of the rain
6. Deliver sub-division related infrastructure as per plan

In order to ensure the achievement of these objectives, all the departments in Ashghal have started a new phase since the beginning of the year with a faster implementation pace on many levels. Each department worked on measuring those achievements according to key performance indicators in an organised manner to assess what has been achieved and to set the executive plans to achieve the remaining objectives. Regarding Qatarisation, the Manager of Human Resources Department at Public Works Authority, Mr. Saif Ali Al Kaabi, said that during the first six months of 2017, the Authority succeeded in achieving the intended Qatarisation rate in addition to developing the Qatari competencies in the Authority through a number of training courses and workshops related to their jobs.

Infrastructure

As regards the infrastructure sector, Infrastructure Affairs Manager Mr. Mohamed Masoud Al Marri said that “99% of the planned infrastructure projects were completed during the previous period of 2017. Since the beginning of the year 38 projects milestones have been completed including 16 milestones in expressway projects and 6 milestones in infrastructure and drainage networks projects. Another 28 milestones are expected to be achieved in infrastructure projects by the end of 2017. "

Moreover, Ashghal’s concerned departments provided on time the designs and new plans aiming to reduce the number of water clogged areas during rainy season. In addition to that Ashghal handed over more than 500 out of 1829 residential plots during the first quarter of the year which is equal to 100% of the total land plots part of the citizens governmental sub-divisions planned to be completed in the first half of the year. The remaining land plots are expected to be delivered by the end of the year.

From his side Eng. Yousef El Emadi, Manager of Highway Projects Department, he assured the achievement of various projects in the Expressway sector, the most important of which is the G-Ring Road that was opened at a total distance of 22 kilometres, along with Lusail Expressway and Dukhan Highway- Central. In addition, a 37-km stretch of the Orbital Highway opened to traffic besides the first phase of Al Rayyan Road, Onazia Tunnel on Lusail Expressway and the road connecting Mesaieed to Salwa Road.

As for the infrastructure projects, Eng.Saoud Ali Al Tamimi, manager of Roads Projects, said that the department is working on 23 projects of local roads and infrastructure. three of these projects are completed: Thumaid-Rawdat Eqdeem that serves 1288 plot, Rawdat Rashed Umm Qarn (phase 1,2), and drainage networks in Muaither, that helps for the drainage flow for about 3778 plot in the subdivisions projects. Through these projects, Ashghal saved approximately 208 million QR out of 350 during the first quarter of this year 2017.

He added that ‘Ashghal’ plans to establish and develop a number of projects during the remaining months of the current year including 339 km of roads, in addition to roads and infrastructure projects serving approximately 15,108 land plot. These projects includes the North and East of Al Kheesa project, targeting 736 plot, as well as the North West Doha Project, which aims to serve 2962 plot and New Slata to serve about 628 plot and many other areas.

The most important local road projects, which are due to be completed by the end of 2017, includes the Roads and Infrastructure Project in Wakrah West, RawadatAba Al-Hairan, Al Mashaf West, Al Khor Commercial Street, and Roads and Infrastructure Works in the Northern areas and more. On the other hand, Mr. Khalid Saif Al-Khayarin, Manager of Drainage Networks Projects, confirmed that Ashghal has succeeded in completing works of the surface and underground water drainage tunnel in the area of ​​BuHamour, in addition to the development of the PackageTreatment Plant in the North and Al- thakhira.Ashghal seeks to achieve these two projects from five milestones in the sector of drainagenetworks in 2017.

An estimated value of QR 25 million of project costs were saved during the first quarter of this year, and several initiatives to reduce costs are being adopted and evaluated during the third quarter of the year, He added. Drainage Projects Management seeks to solve the problem of 173 hotspot with a high potential of having floods resulting from rainfalls before the end of 2017. This to be a part of Ashghal'srainy season preparedness plan, in addition to the continuation of Sewage Treatment Works in Doha North, and the design and construction of a number of sewage treatment projects in different parts of the country.

Assets Affairs

As for the operation and maintenance of roads and drainage networks, Eng. Ahmed Mohamed Sharif, Director of Assets Affairs at Ashghal, confirmed that 100% of the maintenance plan for 2017 is ongoing. The two departments have completed the development of appropriate plans to ensure solutions to reduce raining impacts, after Ashghal’s success to proactively respond and deal with the rainy season at the beginning of this year. Assets Affairs was keen to attract more Qatari nationals to work in the Drainage operation and maintenance Department during the first half of the year. This in addition to organising training courses and workshops to develop the skills of 80% of the Qatari competencies working so far.

Mr. Ahmad Al Kubaisi, Manager of Road Maintenance Department, said that the RMD team has re-paved all the roads laid out in the plan for the first six months of the year. This is in addition to continue works on streets lighting, road markings and signs to ensure security and safety on the roads network, as well as proactive maintenance of some of the roads observed during routine inspection procedures. Khalid Al-Obaidli, Manager of the of Drainage Operation and Maintenance Department, pointed out that works on cleaning and maintaining of drainage networks and gullies continued by 30% of the planned (110 km length of sewage networks and more than 100 thousand gullies) as per the schedule.These works are done relying on Ashghal’s in-house resources and promoting the use of Enterprise Asset Management System (EAMS).

The DNO&M Department is also working on the completion of plans to reduce the floods resulting from rains to be ready by the end of August 2017, in parallel with conducting periodic tests in the second quarter of the year on those plans and how to implement them in cooperation with all concerned partners.

Building affairs

As for the most important and latest Building projects that are being constructed by the Authority, Eng.Lahdan Bin Sager Al Muhanadi, Director of Buildings Affairs, confirmed the completion of designing eight projects up to the second quarter of the year according to the schedule. Five other projects designs will be completed during the third and fourth quarters of the year. Building Affairs has completed construction of six projects so far, while eight other projects are planned to be completed by the end of 2017, with reducing costs and expenses by 5%.

From his side, Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Al Ajmy, Manager of Buildings Design Department, said that 18 projects have been completed during the first half of 2017, including five health centers in different areas, schools and the reconstruction of UmmSalal Municipality and 33 new sites are under construction.

Abdul Mohsen Hasan Al Rashed, Manager of Building Projects Department, said that six projects were handed over during the first half of the year, including three schools, 14 mosques and imam houses, Naufar center, and the Simulation center while taking into account cost-cutting in educational buildings projects. The Authority is currently working on completing 9 schools, 8 mosques and imam houses, as well as 4 health centers and the Operations Building in Hamad Hospital General Hospital and the development of the General Post Office before the end of this year.

It is worth mentioning that in 2017, Ashghal focuses on implementing the programmes and projects taking into consideration that in the future the authority will move from being an "outsourcing" organisation to one that relies on its own resources given that Ashghal has the ability to deliver and maintain projects effectively and efficiently.