Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashgal) has awarded a QR1.6bn ($437m) contract to the local/Turkish joint venture of Yuksel Insaat and Midmac Contracting Company for the construction of package seven of the Doha Expressway.

The work involves the construction of the package seven part of the Doha Expressway, together with work on the second phase of the Salwa road.

Ashgal first received bids for package seven in August last year, but these bids were cancelled following a decision to redesign the interchange.

The expressway is part of … plans to invest $20bn on new roads and … infrastructure in the next five years

Ashgal chose to redesign package seven to accommodate planned rail networks in the country, a senior official at Ashgal told MEED in January (MEED 27:1:10).

The Doha Expressway is party of Qatar’s plans to invest $20bn on new roads and related drainage and infrastructure in the next five years. The investment in the country’s transport infrastructure is being carried out to address congestion in Doha.

The plans are also in line with the Qatar National Masterplan that projects the country’s population will grow to about 2.5 million in the coming years, from the current level of 1.3 million.

In 2007 Yuksel and Midmac were awarded a QR730m contract to build the extension of the Ras Abu Aboud road. That contract, awarded by the New Doha International Airport Steering Committee (NDIA), involved the construction of roads, bridges, tunnels and underpasses serving the new airport.