Minister inspects construction works of public bus infrastructure projects
Qatar has been making great strides in strengthening its public transport system. With a focus to continuously improve in this area, the country has launched several projects in recent years such as the Doha Metro.
Last year, Qatar Foundation introduced the electric-powered Education City tram, offering a state-of-the-art transport system to its community as well as visitors at QF.
In a bid to support the sustainability goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030 and to establish an integrated, world-class, multimodal transportation system, the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MoTC) had also announced earlier that 25 percent of public transport buses will be electric by 2022.
Yesterday, the Minister of Transport and Communications His Excellency Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti toured some of the ongoing projects under the Ministry’s Public Bus Infrastructure Program.
The projects are being carried out with the support of the Public Works Authority, Ashghal.
According to a statement by MoTC, the Minister inspected the progress of the fifth package that comprises bus depots in Lusail, Al Rayan, Al Wakrah, andNew Industrial Area.
These depots will feature a bus care center, bus parking spaces, and a fully equipped e-bus charging set up.
Residential and recreational facilities and mosques will also be included as part of the depots.
The parking canopies in the bus depot in Lusail are will be powered by solar panels.
This will be “the first bus depot in the region to rely on solar energy as a renewable source of clean energy,” according to the Ministry.
“The solar panels – totaling 10,720 units to generate four megawatts per day - plus the power station as a conventional source of energy, will provide the necessary energy for operating electric charging devices and the whole project at large, in line with highest standards and specifications,” the Ministry highlighted.
The Lusail bus depot will also comprise 217 150kilowatt dual bus charging devices as well as five 300kilowatt fast bus electric charging devices.
There will be as many as 474 bus parking spaces in this depot.
The bus depot in Lusail is anticipated to be ready by Q1 of next year.
Apart from the bus depots, the Ministry’s Public Bus Infrastructure Program also includes the Park and Ride parking spaces, bus stations and ferry (water taxi) terminals.
Park and Ride
Work to establish four new sites under the “Park and Ride” project has been wrapped up, as part of the first package of the Program.
Two in Al Qassar and Al Wakra were inaugurated for the public in January last year.
The other two in Lusail and Education City are close to 100 percent completion and will be opened soon.
Bus Terminals
Work is ongoing to set up seven bus terminals within the second and third packages of the program.
Delivery nears 68 percent for bus terminals in Al-Sudan, Lusail, Al-Wakrah, Education City and Industrial Area and would be ready during Q3 of this year.
Works at bus terminals in Msheireb and Al-Gharafa are 31 percent complete and would be fully delivered during Q1 of 2022.
Ferry Terminals
A ferry terminal and parking spaces (water taxi) will also be established under the fourth package in Lusail, Doha Port, Hamad International Airport and the Pearl, in addition to building a bus terminal in the West Bay.
Work is underway to award the project tender to the most qualified company during Q1 of 2021.
The program focuses on implementing the strategy of switching to clean energy in transportation to reduce carbon emissions of conventional vehicles and improve overall air and climate quality in Qatar.
One of the top objectives is to make Qatar second-to-none worldwide in using electric, eco-friendly vehicles during a FIFA championship, let alone integration with other public transit systems.
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