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H.E Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdul Aziz Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior visited the project of Doha Central and Al Corniche Development this morning.

Doha Central and Al Corniche Development and Beautification Project aims to humanize the city by making the area vibrant by prioritizing the human and the pedestrians, promote healthy lifestyles and reduce the reliance on vehicles, develop public places and plazas in the region, in addition to beautifying the main streets, residential areas and vital centers and preserve the environment. 

On this occasion, His Excellency Dr. Eng. Saad bin Ahmed Al Mohannadi, President of the Public Works Authority ‘Ashghal’ stated: “The beautification and humanization works on Doha Central, and Corniche Street aims to transition them into pedestrians and cyclists friendly areas, instead of relying on vehicle transportation. This step is in line with the infrastructure and public transportation means in the area like buses and metros.” 

It is worth noting that most of the green areas and parks include many artworks by Qatari artists, in coordination with the Qatar Museums.

He added: One of the most important goals behind this project is to preserve the Qatari identity despite the rapid urban growth. In addition to integrating the internal pedestrians’ paths to each other, while also liking them externally with the surrounding areas to create new destinations and restore historical areas.

FIFA President, Mr.Gianni Infantino: I am pleased to have closely seen these infrastructures, and I am reassured by how prepared Qatar is to host the biggest sporting event on earth. I am sure that the fans will have a wonderful and unique experience here, extending beyond matches, thanks to everything that Qatar has to offer,” said the FIFA President. 

Eng. Sara Kafood, Vice President of The Supervisory Committee of Beautification of Roads & Public Places in Qatar said that Doha Central and Al Corniche are one of the most important tourists, vital and civilized landmarks in the country. Therefore, the committee provided special attention to its development in a way the reflects in cultural and tourist importance. In turn, the committee was keen to decorate the waterfront with palm-front lighting poles that are reflective of the Qatari cultural heritage and implement pedestrian underpasses and plazas to facilitate the movement of people between Al Corniche and the area connected to the underpasses. In addition to adding an aesthetic touch to these underpasses and plazas by providing them with artistic sculptures and artwork of various Qatari and resident artists. In addition to implementing several cafes overlooking the waterfront directly to contribute into creating a unique experience for people.

She added: and to promote healthy lifestyle and encourage exercise in the area, pedestrian and cycling paths were implemented that are connected to the three plazas that were implemented to be a healthy and safe outlet for the visitors. As well as the infrastructure and pedestrian and cycling paths were both developed and upgraded in addition to increasing green spaces and planting trees. The streets were paved with natural stone to reflect the archeological nature and the historical depth of the area.

Eng. Hassan Abdulla Al Ghanim, Head of External Highways Section at Ashghal stated that Doha Central and Al Corniche Development project aims to encourage healthy lifestyle, improve life quality, and create attractive and vital places. Therefore, we have been keen as much as possible when implementing to accelerate the pace of work on the project, which we have faced many challenges during the implementation of its works especially since it is in the middle of a vital and congested area of visitors, and the Corniche development project is located directly next to the sea, which leads to heavy water flow when carrying out deep excavation works.

From his part, Eng. Abdulla Nasser Al Nuaimi, Manager of Doha Central Development and Beautification Project – 1st Package - at Ashghal:  said that the team had also faced many challenges which include the age and absence of existing infrastructure records in the Doha Central area the high level of groundwater, which required continuous operation of a large number of intake pumps and the injection of soil with special materials to support it, and the poor nature of the soil, which is an obstacle to the rapid progress of underground excavation machines, as well as the project being located in an old, crowded and populated area, and ensuring the safety of the area's visitors and taking into account the provision of entrances to the shop owners slowed the accomplishment process and make the process of heavy tools to the area more difficult, in addition to adhering to specific working hours of the work staff and the constant change for drawings relevant to the project according to the construction underway on site.

He added: Infrastructure works including implementation of rainwater drainage network of 12km, widening the size of water tank to 12.750 sqm, implementation of electricity, water, irritation, drainage, connections networks of 23.9km, the installment of 48 poles for security cameras, and repaving the entire asphalt along Al Corniche Street.

From his part, Eng. Ali Al Darwish, Head of Doha Highways Section, Highways Projects Department at Ashghal: Doha Central and Al Corniche areas are one of the civilized landmarks in the country. Therefore, applying the full vision will promote Qatar’s cultural and historical heritage and respecting the natural environment of the country. Making it after the implementation an attractive destination for visitors since it is an economic, commercial, and cultural center.

He added: the developmental works in the area included the development and upgrade of all facilities and infrastructure such as drainage and rainwater networks, and developing electricity and water networks, as well as replacing the asphalt layer of the road with a granite layer to increase the shelf life of the road and reduce maintenance work to enhance pedestrians safety in the region with the possibility of transforming the streets into plazas for pedestrians during celebrations and major events and providing an aesthetic environment for the center of the city and Al Corniche as well.

Green spaces and trees

The development works included the maintenance and planting of various trees and green spaces that aim to increase life quality and enhance the general image of the area, in addition to its contribution in reducing temperature and providing a healthy environment inside residential neighbors and vital gathering areas.

The project of Al Corniche Development and Beautification included the maintenance and planting of more than 137 square meters of green spaces and 940 trees, and 920 palm trees, as the environmental legacy of the palm trees in Al Corniche Street has been preserved and maintained due to its social and environment importance, as their locations have created a significant and important part of the street’s history. It is worth mentioning that some of the trees that were incompatible with the infrastructure and the new state of Al Corniche were moved and preserved, where 1360 trees were planted and more than 17000 square meters of green spaces in Doha Central area.

Pedestrian and cycling paths

Pedestrian and cycling paths were provided that connect all vital areas in the region, where it facilitates moving from Al Corniche and the area connected to the underpasses, as well as contributes to promoting the importance of sports and the use of alternative transportation means to the personal vehicles. In addition to a 7km jogging track and it connects the path of Al Matar road and Ras Bu Abboud extending to Lusail road. 

Connected cycling paths with no interruptions were implemented so that cyclists could move between plazas and underpasses, and between Al Corniche and Al Doha without needing to stop. 

In addition to implementing pedestrian and cycling paths of 1 km in Doha Central area that was designed for people with special needs, as it includes wide pedestrian corridors according to the international standards, as well as it includes connected corridors that allow people with special needs to move freely without the assistance of other people, as the project also provides designated areas for electrical vehicles charging and to encourage the use of environmentally-friendly cars.

And to add an aesthetic and distinctive touch to Doha Central and Al Corniche, Al Corniche was decorated using 1440 palm-frond designed poles, where the design was chosen to be in line with the palm trees along Al Corniche, and since it reflects the Qatari identity, in addition to providing 655 distinctive lighting poles in Doha Central.

Beautifying lighting poles

In order to add a beautifying and distinctive touch to Doha Central and Al Corniche, Al Corniche was decorated using 1440 palm-frond poles, where the design was chosen to match the palm trees extending along Al Corniche Street, as the design is also a reflection of Qatari identity. In addition to providing 655 distinctive lightening poles in Doha Central area.

Artwork

Various artwork within the plazas and underpasses of Al Corniche, Al Bidda, and Al Dafna were implemented in cooperation with Qatar Museums, and with local and global artists. As for the plazas and platforms they include artistic sculptures that were designed to match the location and add an aesthetic look that appeals to visitors.

Four wooden platforms

Four wooden platforms were implemented to create special spaces of various potential activities on Al Corniche, as well as connect between past and future in a modern way that simulates the front of Al Corniche waterfront that is facing the towers. The idea was inspired by the look of the traditional boats that are one of the most important elements of the identity of this region.

Car parking

A large number of car parking that can accommodate more than 7,700 cars were implemented, where underground parking was also implemented from the city’s side in various places that fit more than 4500 cars, in addition to the waterfront area were 3200 car parking will be provided between parks parking, parking spaces and the parallel parking of the road.

Al Corniche underpasses: 

Three pedestrian and cycling paths were implemented that connect between Al Corniche and Al Doha, which are Al Dafna, Al Corniche and Al Bidda. In addition to the implementation of the Museum of Islamic Art pedestrian underpass. 

As these underpasses promote the movement of pedestrians between Al Corniche and the area connected to the underpasses such as Al Bidda Park, Al Masrah Park, and Hassad Tower, as well as they connect the pedestrian and cycling paths between Al Corniche and Al Doha city.

A fifth pedestrian underpass, Khalifa underpass, connects the Corniche metro station with Doha's tennis and squash courts, which also includes bus stops.

Al Corniche Plazas

Three plazas were implemented which are Al Dafna, Al Corniche and Al Bidda, where each plaza is connected to an underpass that connects Al Corniche with Al Doha city, making it accessible from different sides. The plazas were designed to be an outlet that creates a community-based environment for people in the area and encourages the adoption of healthier lifestyle outside closed buildings, as these plazas are open spaces along Al Corniche to stroll and enjoy the landscape.

Cafes and public services

Al Doha Corniche Development and Beautification Project works included providing several cafes, where there are two cafes in each plaza building on the waterfront, as these cafes feature outdoor seating overlooking the sea directly, where each café consists of two levels, the lower level includes the main unit of the café, the upper level includes an outdoor session overlooking the sea, and the café is connected to the plaza on the one hand and to the pedestrian underpass on the other hand, which is easily accessible

The works also included services facilities such as rest houses equipped with potable water coolers, praying rooms, ablution areas, as well as displays.

The area was designed according to global standards that are suitable for people with special needs, where entrances, parking lots and corridors have been prepared and suitable elevators have been provided that allow them to move freely without the assistance of other people