​Safety of workers prime concern, says Qatar Rail

BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB
DOHA: Qatar Railways Company (Qatar Rail) yesterday reiterated that health, safety and wellbeing of all construction workers, associated with its different projects, are among the top priorities of the company.
Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Subaie, Board Member and Chairman of Executive Committee of RAIL said: “We have categorically conveyed to all the concerned companies associated with different projects of Qatar Rail to practice highest standards of safety and wellbeing for the construction workers.” 
“We are constantly monitoring to ensure that all the labour camps must meet the necessary conditions such as adequate bed space, dining space, sanitation and quality food as per the preference of workers,” he said.
Al Subaie, who is also the Managing Director of Qatar Rail, was speaking at a press meeting called to inform the media about the progress on its various projects and their importance in providing a modern and efficient transportation network in Qatar. Present were several senior officials of Qatar Rail, including Saad Ahmed Al Muhannadi, CEO and Hamad Ibrahim Al Bishri, Deputy CEO/Acting Chief Programme Officer.
After the press conference, members of the media were taken to the construction sites of Lusail Light Rail Transit (LRT), to show the safety training facilities and one of the LRT’s underground stations located at Energy City, whose civil work is 100 percent complete and ready for MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) installations.     
Speaking about the safety of construction workers, Al Bishri said: “Every individual worker, irrespective of his designation and previous experience, has to go through necessary trainings on simulators before starting their job… We take all possible precautionary measures to ensure worker’s safety, for instance, newly arrived workers are given blue coloured helmets so that extra care is given to them.”
Asked if a worker does not find the given working conditions suitable, what is done in such cases, he said: “They are free to leave the country without facing any hassle. The concerned company will clear his dues and provide return ticket to his home country.”
Qatar Rail is overseeing the construction of integrated railway network, including the LRT, Doha Metro and Long Distance Passenger and Freight Rail which will be connected to rail networks of other GCC countries.
According to reports, the estimated cost of the integrated rail project is nearly $40bn (QR145bn). So far Qatar Rail has signed several agreements worth over QR32bn ($8.8bn), to proceed with the preliminary works for the Doha Metro and the LRT, whereby work for the metro projects is moving along as scheduled, and that for the LRT has reached advanced stages.
The LRT will work in full integration to connect Qatar’s key areas with each other and with their vital extensions — whereby the Doha Metro will link the capital’s inner and outer areas such as the ambitious Lusail City, the new Hamad International Airport, the Education City, and the West Bay area.
With regards to the LRT, Al Muhannadi revealed that Qatar Rail has finalised the tunnelling works for the project, and completed over 60 percent of the structure for drilling works for its stations, and in addition, 50 percent of the structure of the bridge overseeing Al Khor and the LRT. The project is slated to be officially delivered by 2017.
The LRT is composed of four lines extending to 30.5km in total, among which are 19km at ground level, 10km underground, and 1.5km at grade.
The Peninsula