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QNA
Doha
Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al Thani on Sunday attended the Qatar Railways Company's (Qatar Rail) celebration marking the completion of the tunnel digging for the Doha Metro Project on the south side of the Red Line at Hamad International Airport (HIA) Station.
The Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) which started work in July 2014 covered 111 kilometres on Saturday.
Fifty percent of the Doha Metro project has been completed with the completion of tunnel digging.
The ceremony included a presentation on the Doha Metro as well as a video on the 21 TBMs used for the project.
Qatar Rail was officially recognised by the Guinness World Records for the largest number of TBMs operating simultaneously in a single project. This achievement followed the completion of drilling three months ahead of the schedule.
Seventy percent of the total contracts were awarded to local companies to support the local economy.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Transport and Communications HE Jassim bin Saif al Sulaiti said the Doha Metro Project represents the backbone of an Integrated Public Transport System which aims to encourage the use of public transport services. The system, supported by Qatar Railways Company, includes projects such as the Lusail Light Rail Transit (LLRT) network and the Long Distance Passenger and Freight Rail transportation system.
The minister thanked the wise and inspiring leadership of the Emir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, and the follow-up and supervision of the Prime Minister for the rapid progress the project has achieved.
The transport sector is considered across the globe as an important indicator of the welfare measures employed in each country for its people, which necessitates further development of the project, he added.
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The Ministry of Transport and Communications has developed policies and strategies that have contributed to the expansion of infrastructure and promotion of latest technologies in the transport sector. These efforts have also contributed to the progress of cargo and passenger traffic, thereby to the growth of Qatar's gross domestic product (GDP), the minister said.
Qatar Rail has several important achievements to its credit including the completion of tunneling works for 111 kilometres in the first phase of the Doha Metro Project, he said, noting that tunneling works started in July 2014 and were completed three months ahead of schedule.
HE Sulaiti stressed that Qatar Rail has bypassed all the obstacles over the drilling work as 50 percent of the Doha Metro Project has been completed. œToday's achievement is another step towards accomplishing the project according to the timeline and budget in place and taking into account eco-friendly technology and the highest quality standards, ? Sulaiti said.
Speaking at the ceremony, Eng Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Turki al Subaie, managing director and chairman of the Executive Committee of Qatar Rail said the completion of the drilling works of Doha Metro Project is an important milestone in its progress.
All the necessary resources were harnessed to implement the first and most important phase of the project, and to manage the challenges faced during the drilling, he added.
Subaie thanked those who contributed to the accomplishment of the project and praised the world-class quality of drilling work, pointing out that the highest occupational health and safety standards were employed at the worksites.
