Olympic Aspirations

After hosting the Asian games in 2006, Qatar has its eyes on the 2016 Olympics. The sport-minded country has put forward its Doha 2016 Application File to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and says it will continue to lobby the international community for its support.

The small Gulf state of Qatar seems fully aware that in order to host the 2016 Olympics, and the millions of people that will come with it, it will need the necessary transport infrastructure. Changes touted by the Qatar Public Works Authority (QPWA) in order to win approval from the International Olympic

Committee (IOC) to host the summer games include a city-wide metro, new international airport and expanded road network.

By train The QPWA has plans for 140 kilometres of metro/LRT network, BRT/tram lines with routes reaching the new international airport and port, hotels, shopping and residential districts, as well as the planned Olympic Village and ‘Media City’.

Construction of the first 85 kilometres of the metro is scheduled to begin in 2009 with completion set for late 2015, leaving just enough time to test the system before the Olympics.

By plane Authorities say phase one of the New Doha International Airport (NDIA) should be open for business by late 2009, catering to 24 million passengers per year. The new airport, which sits only 4 kilometres from the existing Doha International Airport, will cover 22 sq kilometres, half of which will be reclaimed from the sea. At a price of US$9.5 billion, developers say the airport will be the largest in the region, allowing for more than 50 million passengers per year when the final stage is completed. Described as a ‘small city within a city’, the new airport will feature a business park, free trade zone, and courier and mail facilities.

By road The Qatar government’s ambitious plans are perhaps most evident by the amount of road construction taking place in and around Doha. The QPWA is building a number of multilane highways and adding extensions to existing ring roads.

They are also reportedly working on plans to build a bypass running across Doha bay, from The Pearl – Qatar, a multi-billion artificial island development, to Qatar’s newest city, Lusail.

Construction of the Qatar-Bahrain multi-billion dollar Friendship Causeway between Bahrain and Qatar is scheduled to begin in May 2008. The 40-kilometre road is scheduled to be completed sometime in 2011.

There is also talk of a US$13 billion, 65 kilometre, causeway to link Doha to Abu Dhabi, but no date has been set for construction to start.