Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has awarded seven road projects as part of the country’s Road Development scheme.

The first contract, which was awarded to a joint venture including the local National Industrial Contracting Company, Brazil’s Azvi Company and the local Al-Ghanem Trading & Contracting, comprises a total area of 932,790 square metres in the Al-Wakra west area. The award includes the construction and development of the area’s old and incomplete roads, in addition to pedestrian and cycle paths, traffic signals, street signage, street lighting, and landscaping.

The work is expected to start in the third quarter of 2015 with completion expected in 2017.

The second contract was awarded to the local Marbu Contracting Company, which will carry out preliminary work on the first phase of a wider road and infrastructure project in the Al-Wukai area.

Contracts were also signed for work in the Al-Meshaf and Al-Sailiya areas, with local firms Bin Omran Trading & Contracting and Qatar Building Company appointed respectively. Both projects are expected to complete by 2017.

Bin Omran Trading & Contracting Company also won a second contract. It covers the development of approximately 3 kilometres of Najma Street and 3.3km of the E-Ring Road, including the realignment and widening of the road, upgrading Al-Thumama junction and improving the existing signalised junction between the Airport Street and the E-Ring Road.

Over the past few years, Ashghal has issued a number of contracts for its Local Roads and Drainage Programme, a scheme worth QR50bn.