Qatar's Public Works Authority (Ashghal) said it has opened the first phase of the New Orbital Highway and Truck Route, which will serve as a vital link between the southern and northern areas of the country.

Phase One includes the opening of 125-km-long roads extending from Hamad Port to Al Shamal Road, up to Lusail and Al Khor area, said a statement from Ashghal.

An important addition to the road network in Qatar, the New Orbital Highway and Truck Route project involves the construction of 21 main interchanges, including tunnels and flyovers that connect the Orbital Highway with the highways and main roads such as the G-Ring Road, Salwa Road, Dukhan Highway, and Al Shamal Road.

This will significantly enhance the flow of traffic and shorten the journey times through the Orbital Highway by around 50 per cent on average, compared to the time spent in the same journey using the existing roads, it added.

Ashghal has accelerated the implementation pace in order to complete the road ahead of schedule, due to its importance in providing a direct link between the strategic Hamad Port through the G-Ring Road, the Industrial Area, Salwa Road, Dukhan Highway and Al Shamal Road, and reaching Lusail city and Al Khor.

This will improve the transport of merchandises and goods from the south to the north of the country, especially as the port accommodates more than 2,500 trucks per day, it added.

Speaking at the launch, Jassim bin Saif Al Sulaiti, Minister of Transport and Communications, said the New Orbital Highway is directly connected to Hamad Port, which will enhance traffic flow to and from the port throughout the day.

"The new openings will enhance goods traffic directly and for the first time from Hamad Port to Al Shamal Road and then to Al Khor passing through the G Ring Road, the Industrial Area, Salwa Road, and Dukhan Highway," he noted.

Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Rumaihi, Minister of Municipality and Environment, said the opening of Phase One will serve a number of municipalities in the country including Al Rayyan, Al Khor and Al Thakhira, Al Wakra, Umm Slal, and Al Sheehaniya.

It will also provide easy access and direct connection between residential and commercial areas, mainly Logistics Village and Doha Industrial Area, which greatly contributes to supporting the business traffic and ease the residents movements between these areas.

Hassan Al Thawadi, the secretary general of Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, confirmed that the expressway network will ease the audience access to 2022 World Cup stadiums.

The Orbital Highway is directly linked to a number of stadiums where World Cup 2022 will be held including the Al Rayyan Stadium, Al Khor Stadium, Lusail Stadium, and other sports facilities and hence will be key in providing easy access to a number of sports facilities.-TradeArabia News Service