DOHA: After waiting in long queues at the vehicle inspection centre in Al Wakra, many Qataris are demanding better facilities in the area.
The sole technical inspection centre in the area remains crowded, especially during the first half of the day, as the population of Al Wakra has ballooned over the past few years.
Many motorists have even suggested that the government should extend the validity of the road permit to two years, and that new vehicles should be exempted from inspections for five years to ease the pressure on such facilities.
“The queue is so long that it reaches the neighbouring Abdurrahman bin Jassim School, and it consumes at least two hours’ time of motorists. The facility is so poorly designed that it cannot inspect more than one vehicle at a time,” Ahmed Salim Al Hamli was quoted as saying by Al Raya.
Al Hamli added: “They should introduce some system or service so that people are not required to sit in their cars in serpentine queues, or the authorities should extend the validity of the ‘istimara’ at least for two years.”
He said that if a vehicle was absolutely fit then why should people be required to go thorough the same pain, wasting a lot of time irrespective of the manufacturing date of their vehicle.
Hussain Hajji, another Qatari citizen, rued that the majority of motorists were required to sit inside their vehicles with the engines running for hours to avoid heat stroke.
“The population of Al Wakra has more than doubled over the last few years, especially after the opening of several new housing complexes, while the amenities, such as petrol station and others, have almost remained the same. It is high time to have more fuel stations and inspection centres in the area,” Hajji added.
“The provision of having only one queue at the Centre aggravates the problem. People cannot go anywhere as they have to continuously keep moving their vehicles in the queue for so long. At least the service provider should introduce some system so that motorists can leave their vehicles and come back to avail their turns.”
He noted that motorists who come back to the centre after fixing some minor faults in their vehicles should be exempted from queuing up again.
Yet another motorist, Abdullah Al Mannai, suggested that the inspection centre be relocated to some other place as visitors keep occupying the parking area of a mosque in front of the centre.
Al Mannai said there was a huge difference in the services provided by this centre and others. “Most employees at Fahes smart centres are professionals and very polite while dealing with customers.”
Saif Abu Alainain added: “To reduce the growing crowd at technical inspection centres government should amend the rules. Istimara for new vehicles should be exempted for three to five years, as in some neighbouring countries.”
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