(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Engineer Nasser bin Ali Al Mawlawi, President of Public Works Authority - Ashghal - yesterday inaugurated excavation works for Mesaimeer Surface and Ground Water Tunnelling, a significant project undertaken by Ashghal to enhance Qatar's drainage network.
The inauguration was held on a work site in Al Thummama. He was accompanied by Guido De Sanctis, Italian Ambassador, and senior officials from Ashghal, including Jalal Yousef Salhi, Director, Infrastructure Affairs, and Hamad Mohamed Al Tamimi, Director, Asset Affairs.
Also present were representatives from Ashghal's Roads and Drainage Operations and Maintenance Department, CDM Smith, Project Consultant, Salini Impregilo Construction Company, project contractors, and Herrenkenecht, German manufacturer of tunnel boring machines (TBM) being used to excavate tunnels.
Excavation is being carried out by Al Thummama, one of the two technologically advanced TBMs being used for the first time in Qatar and specially designed and developed for the project.
The Mesaimeer tunnel for surface and ground water is one of the key drainage projects within Ashghal's plans to upgrade Qatar's drainage network.
The tunnel will run under F-Ring Road, stretching 9.7km.
It will run 5.4km from Al Thummama to the west and 4.3km to the east to the planned pumping station near new Hamad International Airport.
The tunnel will alleviate Doha's storm water by transporting it from a 170km of catchment area, covering southern and western parts of greater Doha.
It will be linked to existing and planned drainage network in the areas it will traverse.
To allow access for inspections and regular maintenance of the tunnel, an operations and maintenance plan has been developed to ensure satisfactory operation of all elements. This will be facilitated through 21 access shafts linking ground level to 20-30m depth of the tunnel.
Named after the areas where the TBMs will operate, admeasuring 4.5-metre in diameter and 121-metre in length (including support equipment), 'Al Thumama' and 'Al Rawada' possess a significant capacity to excavate tunnels without causing any adverse effect on surrounding structures and disruption to traffic.
The project is scheduled to be completed by early 2017.
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