Qatar's Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has opened a new 700-m-long underpass on the Mesaimeer Interchange in Doha thus providing residents in the Umm Al Seneem, Mesaimeer and Industrial Areas with a free-flowing link between Industrial Area Road and the E Ring Road for the first time.

The opening of the new underpass, which is located underneath F Ring Road and Mesaimeer Road, replaces an existing roundabout on Industrial Area Road and is expected to significantly improve traffic flow between the Industrial Area and Doha during peak travel times, said a statement from Ashghal.

To further improve traffic flow towards the new underpass, Ashghal has also opened an additional 1.8 km section of Industrial Area Road, which offers road users four lanes in each direction and enhances the road’s existing vehicle capacity by 25 per cent, it stated.

The opening ceremony was attended by senior officials including Yousef Al Emadi, the manager at Ashghal's Expressway department, Brigadier Mohammed Maarifiya, traffic safety and engineering head besides Central Municipality Council members Abdularahman Abdullah Al Khulaifi and Abdullah bin Salim Khawar along with other officials.

The new section of Industrial Area Road and the underpass on Mesaimeer Interchange have been equipped with a new storm water drainage network which will allow Ashghal to significantly reduce the risk of flooding in the event of heavy rain or storms.

Speaking at the launch, Al Emadi said: "The new underpass is part of Mesaimeer Interchange, one of the junctions of Rawdat Al Khail Sreet Extension project. It is a major passage that provides a direct link between the Industrial Area and the Al Thumam, Kamis Leabildy Junction, as known, and E-Ring Road."

According to him, the signal-controlled intersection, due to open shortly, will alleviate traffic for commuters coming from Industrial area to Umm Al Saneem, Bu Hamour, Mesaimeer and Religion Complex besides Hamad International Airport via F-Ring Road.

"With the completion of the whole project scope, including the major junctions and the main and service roads, there will better movement and shorter journeys from the Industrial Area to Doha and less traffic in the areas around," he added.

The opening of the 700-m underpass is the second major milestone on the three-level Mesaimeer (56) Interchange. Ashghal had previously opened the interchange’s highest level, a 900-m flyover that connects F Ring Road to Mesaimeer Road, in July last year.-TradeArabia News Service