Qatar Development Bank (QDB) has started work on Phase Two of its neighbourhood Al Furjan Markets project which will see the construction of six new markets featuring 78 retail outlets. The work is set to be completed within a year.

The Al Furjan Markets project is a unique initiative launched in collaboration with a number of the government sectors, in co-operation with QDB, which is handling all construction and administrate work for the project.

The initiative is considered one of Qatar’s strategic projects, and is intended to support the commercial sector in the country, as part of the development of a sustainable economy in line with the Qatar National Vision 2030 to create a diverse permanent economic environment.

Unveiling the phased masterplan, Abdul Rahman Al Suwaidi, the director of Al Furjan Markets Project said: "The launch comes following the tremendous success of the first phase of the Al Furjan Markets. The markets in Phase Two will be located in the following areas: Two in Muaither south (16 shops), one each in Jerian Jenihat (21 shops), Umm Qarn (16 shops),Kharaitiyat (seven shops) and Umm Al khor (10 shops)."

This will be followed by another 26 markets, which are presently in the design stage, he added.

Qatar Development Bank CEO Abdulaziz bin Nasser Al Khalifa said: "The beginning of construction works for Phase Two of Al Furjan Markets will further benefit citizens and will support the growth and competitiveness of the business sector in the state."

"We had been studying the land allocated initially by the Ministry of Municipalities and Environment, and 32 plots in different cities had been selected as the first step in the project’s second phase, which is distributed between the internal and external areas of the state land, based on key criteria that demonstrates the feasibility of building markets to facilitate and cater to the daily needs of the residents of these areas," he stated.

Al Khalifa said the tender for the implementation of six plots of land had already been awarded and will be completed in the first quarter of 2019. "The tender for the rest of the lands will be awarded by the second quarter of this year," he added.-TradeArabia News Service