By Reuters http://english.alarabiya.net
Qatar announced one of the county’s largest infrastructure projects on Monday, comprising three bridges interconnected by subsea tunnels, to be completed before the soccer World Cup finals in 2022.
The Sharq crossing project will include three bridges spanning between 600 meters and 1,310 meters, which will link Doha’s new Hamad International airport with the city’s cultural district of Katara and the central business area of West Bay.
“Construction of the project will start in 2015 and completion will be by 2021,” Nasser Ali al-Mawlawi, the president of Qatar’s Public Works Authority, Ashghal, told reporters at a press conference.
No value was given for the project.
The tiny, gas-rich country plans to spend as much as $140 billion on infrastructure projects, including a new airport, stadiums, roads and railways, as it prepares to host the World Cup tournament.
It awarded contracts worth $8.2 billion in June to international and local contractors for the construction of phase one of the Doha Metro project.
Al-Mawlawi said in an interview with Reuters that Ashghal plans to spend more than 100 billion riyals on its projects over the next five to seven years.
“The project that was unveiled today will be paid for by the government of Qatar,” he added. More info
