Qatar's Public Works Authority (Ashghal) said it has completed 95 per cent of the work on Dukhan Highway Central project which is on track for official opening in the first quarter of 2017.

The project, which forms part of Ashghal’s Expressway Programme, will establish a 15-km strategic link from the west of Doha to Al Sheehaniya and other key future public venues and residential areas, said a statement from Ashghal.

It is being constructed by a joint venture contractor Consolidated Contractors Group and Teyseer, with WS Atkins & Partners Overseas serving as the supervision consultant.

Ashghal said it had achieved this significant construction milestone through the completion of a 1.5-km-long tunnel, a 2.2-km extension of Al Rufaa Street and other flyovers and local link roads. The tunnel, flyovers and local link roads are now open to traffic.

The tunnel will provide an underground route that extends from the Mall of Qatar to the Dukhan Highway, facilitating a free-flowing one-way route underneath the Al Jahhaniya Interchange that will enable local and recreational road users to seamlessly reconnect with traffic heading towards Doha, it stated.

The tunnel comprises 34 structural units, with sophisticated mechanical and electrical equipment, including a central control room which will monitor the operation of the roadway on a 24-hour basis, ensuring the safety and protection of road users.

The Public Works Authority has also constructed parallel internal corridors to provide an emergency passage for pedestrians, and powerful ventilation systems to ensure that the tunnel has sufficient air levels at all times.

Ashghal began excavating land for the tunnel in 2014, moving over 450,000 cu m of material to enable the construction of the tunnel. Approximately 125,000 cu m of concrete and close to 10,000 tonnes of asphalt were utilised to build the efficient new transport route.

The Public Works Authority said the completion of the tunnel was one of several milestones achieved on the Dukhan Highway Central project in the past month.

The extension of Al Rufaa Street will create direct access points for road users to and from North Road to Doha, providing two lanes in each direction and enhancing mobility to key public venues, including the Al Rufaa Celebration Hall Complex, it added.-TradeArabia News Service