BY SACHIN KUMAR
DOHA: The Doha Metro project will play crucial role in Qatar’s economic development and help in reducing carbon emission. The metro project will save 2 million kilometers of travel by cars per day, said Abdulla Abdulaziz Al Subaie, Managing Director, Qatar Rail yesterday.
“On the economic front, GDP (Gross Domestic Product) will benefit from reduced time lost in traffic. From a social perspective, a better environment will mean a better quality of life for citizens. The Metro will save 2 million kilometers of travel by car per day which means less CO2,” said Al Subaie while addressing the fourth Annual Arab Future Cities Summit Qatar 2015.
The Doha Metro is an integral part of the Qatar Rail Development Programme. Consisting of four lines, the Metro network will cover the Greater Doha area and will include connections to town centres and vital commercial and residential areas throughout the city. In central Doha, the Metro will be underground, whilst at the outskirts; it will mainly be at ground level or elevated.
“The rail projects are expected to bring reduction by 258,000 tonnes of CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) per year. Additionally, the metro will provide jobs for many, and prove to be a major step forward for the nation in accomplishing every aspect of the ‘National Vision 2030’,” said Al Subaie.
Experts said that development of smart cities will also increase the demand for telecom services. “Population growth due to development of new cities such as Lusail will increase telecom demand by 20-30 percent,” Dr Rainer Schnepfleitner, Department Manager Regulation and Competition Affairs, Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA)
On the first day, the summit focused on the regulator’s role in facilitating smart cities, enabling smarter cities through Internet of Things (IoT), sustainability strategies and requirements in Lusail City and enabling the urban information economy through smart cities. Experts discussed about the role of communications providers in enabling a smart country, moving towards a future connected society and securing smart cities, and ways to design, implement and operate safe and resilient infrastructure. Also on the agenda were sessions on smart living solutions, urban energy management, ICT innovation, people-first approach to smart city innovation, initiatives taken up by Qatar Rail, and research into smart city disciplines such as urban planning and transportation.
The two-day summit saw participation from companies such as Huawei, Accenture, Ooredoo, Cisco, Intel, Alfardan Properties, Schneider Electric, Microsoft, EMC, Qatar Cool, B+B SmartWorx, Proteco LLC (Al Nasr Holding) and Esri. The Future Cities Lounge saw over 30 exhibitors showcasing innovative solutions for building smart cities.
The Peninsula
