tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22396820006541652662024-03-13T10:53:21.997-07:00something you dont knowSOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-78941376268991763282010-03-11T05:36:00.000-08:002010-03-11T05:37:51.519-08:00QR45bn to be spent on roads<p align="justify">Web posted at: 2/28/2010 7:4:17Source </p><p align="justify">::: THE PENINSULA DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has announced that it will launch projects worthQR70bn in the next five to eight years. While QR45bn would be spent on road projects, QR25bn has been set aside for major sewage projects. Ashghal would launch 22 major road projects during the period, revealed Nasser Al Mowlawi, Acting General Manager, Ashghal. "The projects are being envisaged to meet the demands of the country's future growth as visualised by the General Secretariat for Development Planning. Once these projects are completed, Qatar will have world-class roads and sewage networks", he said. Mowlawi said the Emir, H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Heir Apparent, H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, were closely monitoring the progress of the project works. "Top Ashghal officials visited the Heir Apparent and the prime minister on separate dates and briefed them on the major proposed projects of Ashghal", Mowlawi said. A detailed presentation of the projects was made before the Heir Apparent on February 24, 2010. Ashghal officials also explained future projects to the prime minister on February 2, 2010. The officials also briefed him about the details of the tendering process, Mowlawi said. Local companies are free to bid for contracts in the proposed projects. Mowlawi said Ashghal would launch three major road projects in the coming month. The first project (Project VII) would cover the design of Rayyan Street, Khalifa Street and Al Busthan Street. The second project (Project VIII) is related to the designing of E-Ring Road and the Central Market roads. The third project (Project IX) will cover the designing of Al Farussia, Hewar and Al Khafji streets. The tenders for these projects were floated in October 2009.Ashghal has also signed agreements with some internationally reputed companies for maintaining its key arterial roads. Ashghal's "Smart Transportation System" to monitor and control the traffic on busy streets, is expected to be launched by the end of this year. The project, scheduled to be implemented in a phased manner, would be completed in three to five years, Mowlawi said. "Once this system is in place, motorists can commute between Al Khor and the New Doha International Airport within 35 minutes", he said. Local firms to get big slice of railway projectWeb posted at: 2/28/2010 7:3:3Source ::: THE PENINSULA/ By MOHAMED SAEEDDOHA: Local contracting companies would be awarded major works in the proposed multi-billion dollar rail project, some 70 to 80 percent of which will comprise construction work.The proposed railroad network is planned to operate on four major routes that would link various areas of the country to one another, according to an official. Dr Hassan Al Fudallah, Vice-CEO of Qatari Diar, was talking to Qatar News Agency about the three mega railway projects (the metro network within Greater Doha, the over-ground railways covering entire Qatar and eventually linking it to the rest of the GCC region, and cargo trains). The metro network will have four routes - a Red Route, Green Route, Yellow Route and Blue Route. The Red Route will start from Mesaieed, cross Al Wakra, the New Doha International Airport, downtown Doha and Lusail, and reach Al Khor and Al Shamal. The Green and Yellow routes will link the eastern part of Doha to its west. The Blue Route is designed to run along C-Ring Road, said Al Fudallah. Work on the QR133.5bn railway project will begin only when the ongoing comprehensive preliminary studies are completed. The metro rail project will cover a total distance of 354km and the trains will run at speeds of 80 to 160km per hour. The ground rail network will cover a total distance of 345km and traverse the entire country and passenger electric trains will be running at between 220 and 350km per hour. The projects are to be completed in phases between 2010 and 2016 and will take into consideration Qatar's bid to host the football World Cup in 2022. This network will be linked to the GCC railways by 2017. Cargo trains covering major economic centres in Qatar will be running at 120km per hour. Explaining the benefits of the mega transportation project, Al Fudallah said the project will provide the country with sophisticated transportation system and hence support Qatar's plan to achieve sustainable development.Besides the economical and social benefits, the project will also will have a positive environmental impact as it will cut fuel consumption by cars. As 70 to 80 percent of the project will comprise construction work, it is believed the project will give a boost to local contracting companies. </p>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-63646641513111067102010-03-11T05:34:00.000-08:002010-03-11T05:35:53.819-08:00Qatar to spend $20bn on roads<div align="justify">Qatar has set aside $20bn for road construction over the next five years, according to a senior Ashghal official<br />By Sarmad QaziStaff Reporter<br />Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) yesterday laid out road projects worth around $20bn to be carried out over the next five years.“The budget for the next five years is $20bn,” Jamal Shareeda al-Kaabi, acting manager of Design Department (Roads and Drainage) in the Public Works Authority, said at a conference organised by London-based Meed magazine in Doha yesterday.<br />One of the major projects is the F-Ring Road which will be linked to the New Doha International Airport (NDIA), with Khamis Al Obaidli as its starting point. “Tenders for this project will be called in three weeks from now,” al-Kaabi said. From Khamis al-Obaidli, the road will be further connected to the Industrial Area and that stretch will be known as the Al Muntazah Highway.<br />“This particular project will resemble ‘Salwa Road’ with many commercial shops on either side. There has been a delay due to its re-designing as a proposed rail network had to be incorporated,” al-Kaabi said.<br />Al Muntazah Highway will be tendered out next year.<br />Another key project is the Arc-Ritz Roundabout which will be linked to the proposed Doha Bay underground crossing. This road, with three major interchanges, includes a link from Intercontinental Roundabout to Ras Abu Aboud.<br />“Utility is going to be the biggest challenge in this project,” al-Kaabi said. “The road across the Doha Bay is right now with the Urban Planning & Development Authority (UPDA) and (the project) is set to go ahead.”<br />Westwards, towards Dukhan, the Shahaniya-Rayyan Roundabout route would be tendered out next week, al-Kaabi said. This is another major highway with four-carriageways on both sides with possibly five interchanges.<br />The Rayyan Roundabout will be connected to Souq Waqif, providing faster access from the “Tilted” Roundabout to the Corniche.<br />“This is now under technical consultation and we are working with the UPDA as a joint team. Construction may start in two years,” al-Kaabi said.<br />Additionally, Ashghal plans to construct a link road from Landmark Mall to the Industrial Area and a Wakrah bypass. A four-lane East-West corridor, starting from behind the Industrial Area and passing through the under-construction Barwa City, is also in the offing.<br />Currently under design is the Phase 2 and 3 of the North Road, a 100-km stretch of highway that includes 22 bridges and connects to the planned Qatar-Bahrain causeway<br />“This is a five-year project and it will start this year (with work continuing) in the next two years… A big portion of $20bn will be utilised during this time,” the official said. lAshghal plans to award an estimated QR500mn ($137mn) contract by the end of the quarter to build the final phase of Doha’s largest sewage plant, an official told the Meed conference. “We are finalising the evaluation stage,” Jamal Ali, a senior consultant to Ashghal, said.<br />Four international companies are participating in the bidding process to build the fifth and final phase of the Doha South Sewage Treatment Plant, Ali said, adding that a recommendation for the winning firm would be made next week.<br />Qatar is also expected to award a deal for a new 2,000 megawatt power plant this year, a senior official from the Qatar Power Company said during the Meed conference.<br /><br />Pledge to reducecongestion on roads<br />A senior Ashghal official yesterday acknowledged that the current “traffic (congestion) is indeed as bad as it feels” while insisting the authority was in a better position now than ever to tackle issues like project delays and traffic diversions. Jamal Shareeda al-Kaabi said one of Ashghal’s major aims was to reduce congestion on roads. “Much relief will come with the completion of the February 22 Street (Omar Al Khattab Mosque to Al Sadd) in six-to-eight months.”</div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-80426041655670311872009-12-13T22:15:00.001-08:002009-12-13T22:15:44.543-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span style="font-family:arial;color:#cc0000;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Barwa comes to the rescue of subcontractors</span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br />Web posted at: 12/13/2009 3:31:32<br />Source ::: THE PENINSULA</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">DOHA: Barwa has started delivering outstanding payments that the now-defunct main contractor owed to subcontractors who had completed work on the Barwa Masaken (Alsailya and Mesaimeer) project, the company said yesterday.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The move has come after the main contractor for the project, Panceltica, became insolvent in July, leaving many of the subcontractors without payment.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Barwa had no obligation to these sub-contractors, however, it believed this move would be necessary for the completion of the project in the best technical conditions, the company said in a statement issued yesterday. “Barwa has taken the initiative to demonstrate its commitment to the developer community and ensure that local subcontractors’ outstanding payments are resolved,” said Barwa Deputy Chairman, Hitmi Ali Al Hitmi.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></span></p><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This has taken some time due to the detailed financial and legal process that has followed the termination of Panceltica, to ensure only subcontractors who had delivered work were compensated. “We are delighted with this conclusion as we wanted to support those who have been committed to the Barwa Masaken project so that they could continue working with confidence,” he added. </span></div></span></span></span>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-20242663862005991452009-12-13T22:14:00.001-08:002009-12-13T22:14:58.628-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><h1 class="MainTitle"><span style="font-size:130%;">EXCLUSIVE: US $2.5 billion claim over Dubai Metro</span></h1><span class="GrayFont"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size:100%;">Construction Week</span><br />by Benjamin Millington on Dec 10, 2009</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">The RTA is disputing a massive US $2.5 billion (AED9.18 billion) claim from the consortium responsible for building <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260771161_0" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; ">Dubai Metro</span>, according to a source connected to the project,<em>Construction Week </em>has learned. The RTA has not denied the claim.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When asked if the claim was valid, RTA <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260771161_1">corporate communications director</span>, Peyman Younes Parham said: “We won’t comment on any contractual issues.” </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The source, who did not want to be named, said the consortium is insisting it is entitled to $2.5 billion in unpaid certified amounts and additional escalation costs, variation costs and delay costs due to changes in the metro design and specifications, but the RTA does not agree.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“(The RTA) is totally disputing it, they have said the money is not due and in actual fact, the consortium is already being overpaid,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Right now it is just a claim and hasn’t got to the arbitration stage. But it is probably the biggest claim for a civil works contract ever seen in Dubai, possibly the world.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If the claim proceeds to the courts it will be one of the most significant cases in Dubai’s construction history, he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Dubai Rapid Link (Durl) consortium includes <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260771161_2">Mitsubishi Heavy Industries</span>, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260771161_3">Mitsubishi Corporation</span>, Obayashi Construction and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260771161_4">Kajima Corporation</span> of Japan and Yapi Merkezi of Turkey.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The consortium was awarded a $3.39 billion contract in 2005 to build the metro’s red line and a $1.11 billion contract to build the green line in 2006.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In August the RTA chairman HE Mattar <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260771161_5">Al Tayer</span> conceded that the cost of building the metro system had increased by “billions” since the original contracts were awarded. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said more than half of the project had changed in terms of its design and facilities since its inception to cope with the growing needs of the city.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to estimates the cost of the project increased by 75% to around $7.6 billion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Durl <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260771161_6" style="cursor: pointer; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; ">corporate affairs manager</span> Sam Majed also refused to talk about the claim.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We don’t make any comments about anything related to the project, definitely nothing about<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260771161_7">contractual agreements</span> between us and the client, it’s all part of a 100% confidentiality agreement, so absolutely no comment,” he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is still unclear how much Durl has been paid for their work on the project, but in November the general manager of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Middle East office Koji Okamoto told <em>The National</em>newspaper they were “still awaiting payment.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ten of the 29 stations on the metro’s red line opened in September, with the green line expected to be operational next year.</div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><br /></span></div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-87974476481997506672009-12-09T23:38:00.001-08:002009-12-09T23:38:27.397-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><h1 class="MainTitle" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 24pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: bold; ">Dubai contractors face bankruptcy threat</h1><span class="GrayFont">by ConstructionWeek staff on Dec 8, 2009</span><br /><div class="topBottomBorder" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span class="FloatRight"><table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" style="width: 100px; height: 20px; "><tbody><tr><td valign="top"><br /></td><td valign="top"><br /></td><td valign="top"><br /></td><td valign="top" style="padding-left: 5px; "><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><br /><span class="ArticleImageColumn"><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><a rel="nofollow" class="lightbox" title="Tabari also warned that many developers could go out of business next year" target="_blank" href="http://www.constructionweekonline.com/pictures/gallery/People/Khaldoun_Tabari_DSI.jpg" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; "><img alt="Tabari also warned that many developers could go out of business next year" src="http://www.constructionweekonline.com/pictures/gallery/People/300x200/Khaldoun_Tabari_DSI.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>Tabari also warned that many developers could go out of business next year<br /><br /></span><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><strong>By Andrew White </strong></p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><strong>The construction industry in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260430828_3">Dubai</span> has no chance of recovery in 2010, Khaldoun Tabari, vice chairman and CEO of Dubai-based engineering contractor <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260430828_4" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">Drake & Scull</span> International, has said.</strong></p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">Speaking at the Arabian Business Conference 2009, he added that for <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260430828_5" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">construction companies</span> solely operating in the emirate, there were big problems.</p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "> </p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">"<span style="font-weight: bold; ">If you are 100 percent in Dubai with nothing outside you are dead,</span>" he told<em> Arabian Business</em>in an interview.</p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">“What does it mean if you are dead? If you are a <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260430828_6">construction company</span> and you pay 10,000 or 20,000 people, and you do not get any work because there’s an abundant supply of buildings, you are going to be bankrupt.”</p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">The UAE's real estate and construction sectors have been badly hit by the downturn. A recent report suggests they have seen the biggest declines in the Middle East region. Some 566 projects have been shelved or cancelled in the country – the majority of which are in Dubai – according to the research house Proleads.</p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">Tabari added that Dubai real estate operators were likely to face further difficulties over the coming months.</p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">“We had hundreds of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260430828_7">real estate developers</span>, but these are not going to exist anymore, that’s a simple fact,” he said.</p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">“There’s going to be consolidation or they’re going to go out of business, because they’re not going to make their payments. We’re going to see less and less developers in this business; it will be an orderly exit.”</p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">Listed on the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260430828_8">Dubai Financial Market</span>, DSI operates in engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), and civil contracting in addition to the development of design and build engineering expertise in infrastructure, water & power (IWP).</p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">Tabari also revealed that the company was looking to buy two companies in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260430828_9">Saudi Arabia</span>, at a combined value of up to $400m, during the first quarter 2010. He has already said that two planned acquisitions in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260430828_10">Kuwait</span> and Qatar will cost $40m to $55m.</p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; ">In November, DSI bought 82 percent of a <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1260430828_11">water treatment company</span> from Bilfinger Berger AG, Germany’s second-biggest builder, to tap growing regional demand. DSI acquired the majority stake in Passavant-Roediger for $39m.</p></span>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-14648165700360357512009-12-01T23:13:00.000-08:002009-12-01T23:14:11.998-08:00<span style="font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;"><b><span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; CURSOR: text" id="lw_1259737344_0" class="yshortcuts">Bilfinger Berger</span> plans to pull out of Qatar</b></span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 11px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><br />Web posted at: <span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1259737344_1" class="yshortcuts">12/2/2009 2:34</span>:3<br />Source ::: The Peninsula </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" > <p> </p></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BACKGROUND: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1259737344_2" class="yshortcuts">DOHA</span>: Fed up with the way it is being treated by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), German construction major Bilfinger Berger is planning to pull out of Qatar. The company, which is involved in some key projects in the country, announced yesterday it was seriously considering the pull out due to disagreement with Ashghal. </span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" > </span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;">“The bad experience with the Doha project prompts us to reconsider our commitments in the Gulf region”, </span> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span> </p></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Reuters quoted Bilfinger Berger <span id="lw_1259737344_3" class="yshortcuts">Chief Executive</span> Herbert Bodner as saying to the German media yesterday. </span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" > </span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span> </p></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">The CEO’s announcement comes in the wake of the German construction major losing a legal battle with Ashghal over the multi-million riyal Ashghal project, a key component of Ashghals’ prestigious Doha expressway project. Obtaining a court order in favour of it, the Ashghal has now issued orders to hand over the project work to three Qatari companies. </span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" > </span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span> </p></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">In fact, the German company was expecting the contract termination long ago. The project uncertainty has hit it so hard that it was forced to cut its full-year (2009) profit forecast by at least $145m. It reduced its forecast for earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) this year to a range of ¤210m to ¤230m against the previous forecast of ¤250m. </span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" > </span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span> </p></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">Bilfinger’s Q3 2009 <span id="lw_1259737344_4" class="yshortcuts">Interim Report</span> contains detailed reference to their flopped project works in Qatar. In fact, the Q3 report begins with the statement that the company’s total earnings were burdened by risk provisions made in relation to a road construction project in Qatar. </span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" > </span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size:100%;"></span> </p></span><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:100%;">“In the third quarter of 2009, as previously reported, we recognized provisions totaling ¤80m for Doha expressway project in Qatar. This resulted in an EBIT for the first nine months of 2009 of ¤140 m. EBIT in the prior-year period was burdened by one-time effect in the amount of ¤65m, which was partially offset by a capital gain of ¤9m”, the report said. Barwa City is another major project that Bilfinger is working on in Qatar. </span></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" > </span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ></span><p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size:100%;"></span></span></p></span>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-75764563425301227152009-12-01T23:08:00.002-08:002009-12-01T23:13:00.924-08:00<div style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><span style="TEXT-DECORATION: underline;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;" ><b>Industrial Interchange: Two more phases almost ready</b></span> <span style="FONT-SIZE: 11px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><br />Web posted at: 12/1/2009 5:47:51<br />Source ::: The Peninsula/ By Joyce C Abaño </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" > <table width="10%" bgcolor="#e9e9e9" align="right"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img hspace="1" vspace="1" align="right" src="http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/images/December2009/2baisde.jpg" /></td></tr> <tr> <td align="middle"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;">Plans are afoot to open the Industrial Interchange’s second and third phases in March and April next year.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ></span></span> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ></span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" >DOHA: Konstruktor <span id="lw_1259732749_0" class="yshortcuts">Engineering</span>, the <span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1259732749_1" class="yshortcuts">construction company</span> handling the first three phases of the Public Works Authority’s (Ashghal) Industrial Interchange Project, plans to hand over the second and third phases of the project for opening in March and <span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1259732749_2" class="yshortcuts">April 2010</span> respectively. </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" >A <span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1259732749_3" class="yshortcuts">structural engineer</span> at Konstruktor Engineering said they plan to hand over the three-lane Al Furusiya Road leading to the <span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1259732749_4" class="yshortcuts">Industrial area</span> upper bridge in <span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1259732749_5" class="yshortcuts">March 2010</span> and the overpass in April, the second and third phases of the QR650m project, which is part of the Doha <span id="lw_1259732749_6" class="yshortcuts">Expressway</span>, to Ashghal. The project is aimed at connecting the north of <span id="lw_1259732749_7" class="yshortcuts">Doha</span> with the south and the east with west. Konstruktor Engineering, the contractor for the construction of the third phase of the Doha Expressway project, announced that they plan to hand over the 600-metre underpass from Al Furusiya leading to the Industrial Area and the 450-metre overpass from Doha to the Industrial Area in March and April next year respectively. </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" >The Industrial Interchange (Phase III) is part of the overall Doha Expressway project which includes 12 other packages. </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" >Package three includes the construction of an intersection at the north-east corner of the industrial area at the junction of <span id="lw_1259732749_8" class="yshortcuts">Salwa</span> Road and Al Furusiya Street. The engineer said they have set these target dates for the handing over of the two parts of the project next year, including the 80-metre roundabout. </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" >The Industrial Area Interchange Project comprises 13 phases in total. The project includes the construction of a three-lane dual carriageway, service roads on both sides, and two multi-level interchanges, in addition to the development of the network infrastructure and landscaping work. According to the engineer, Konstruktor Engineering is now seeing to the last phases of the project, like covering the railing, and looking into some of the most important part of infrastructure work on the bridges and some parts of the underpass. </span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%"><span style="font-size:100%;">(The project is supposed to be completed in <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">26 months</span> <span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">(October 2008)</span>, started in September 2006 - The Peninsula,</span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif" class="Apple-style-span"> Wednesday 19/7/2006 July, 2006</span></span></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif" class="Apple-style-span"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 100%">).</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" >Konstruktor Engineering Qatar, a branch of Croatia-based Konstruktor Inzenjering dd Split, is one of the leading infrastructure developers widely engaged in the construction of civil and <span id="lw_1259732749_9" class="yshortcuts">industrial engineering projects</span> across the world. </span><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ></span></span></p><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;" ><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><br />the peninsula </span></span></div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-87271924371538854152009-12-01T23:08:00.001-08:002009-12-01T23:08:40.222-08:00<tr style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"> <td style="PADDING-LEFT: 6px; PADDING-TOP: 10px" class="gulfBodyTitles" align="left"><span style="font-size:130%;">Qatar and Deutsche Bahn ‘in $25bn deal’<img border="0" src="http://www.gulf-times.com/site/images/spacer.gif" width="5" /></span></td></tr> <tr style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px; PADDING-LEFT: 6px; PADDING-RIGHT: 10px; PADDING-TOP: 5px" height="10" valign="top"> <td class="gulfBodyTxt" align="left">German rail operator Deutsche Bahn is set to sign a $25bn contract with Qatar tomorrow</td></tr> <tr> <td style="PADDING-LEFT: 6px; PADDING-RIGHT: 5px" class="gulfBodyTxt" align="left"> <p><strong><span style="font-size:85%;color:#ff0080;">By K T Chacko<br />News Editor , </span></strong><span style="font-family:Tahoma;font-size:85%;">Sat, November 21, 2009</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><span style="color:#800080;"> <table border="0" width="10" align="right"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="middle"><img border="0" src="http://www.gulf-times.com/mritems/images/2009/11/21/2_327498_1_248.jpg" width="292" height="178" /></td></tr> <tr> <td dir="rtl" id="Comment" class="imgcaption" valign="top" align="middle"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size:100%;">Qatar is set to award a $25bn contract to German rail and logistics group Deutsche Bahn tomorrow to build and operate a passenger and freight rail network in the country.</span></span></strong><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">A source said the deal would see the launch of the Qatar Railway Development Company, a joint corporation in which Qatar Railways is expected to hold 51% and Deutsche Bahn 49%.<br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">German Transport Minister Peter Ramsauer yesterday said in <span id="lw_1259732749_4" class="yshortcuts">Berlin</span> that he would travel to Doha together with Deutsche Bahn chief executive Ruediger Grube to sign the deal.<br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Earlier, he told a meeting of transport ministers in Heidelberg that the deal included building a rail connection to the New <span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1259732749_5" class="yshortcuts">Doha International Airport</span> (NDIA), which is being built to the east of existing one.<br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">German newspaper <span id="lw_1259732749_6" class="yshortcuts">Handelsblatt</span> also reported in its online edition yesterday that Deutsche Bahn had won a 17bn euro contract to build the proposed rail network in Qatar.<br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">Handelsblatt, citing government sources, said German industrial group Siemens could be involved in supplying trains and the German building industry in the construction of the rail network. <br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The project would involve the construction of a rail network in Doha as well as a high-speed connection to the airport and a link to <span id="lw_1259732749_7" class="yshortcuts">Bahrain</span> through the causeway, construction work on which is expected to start early next year.<br />Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Deutsche Bahn in August last year to prepare the ground work for developing “a comprehensive and consolidated” <span id="lw_1259732749_8" class="yshortcuts">national railway system</span>.<br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The ambitious project consists of an <span id="lw_1259732749_9" class="yshortcuts">east coast</span> rail link, a passenger and freight line linking Ras Laffan and Mesaieed via <span id="lw_1259732749_10" class="yshortcuts">Doha</span>, a high-speed link between the NDIA, Doha city centre and Bahrain through the causeway, a freight rail link based on GCC rail and Doha <span id="lw_1259732749_11" class="yshortcuts">Expressway</span> studies, a Doha <span id="lw_1259732749_12" class="yshortcuts">Metro network</span> based on the <span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1259732749_13" class="yshortcuts">Qatar</span> Transport Master Plan and light rail/people mover networks linking Lusail, <span id="lw_1259732749_14" class="yshortcuts">Education City</span> and the West Bay.<br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The Qatar railway will form part of the GCC network, which is expected to be ultimately connected to Turkey, providing a rail link between the <span id="lw_1259732749_15" class="yshortcuts">Middle East</span> and Europe. All the <span id="lw_1259732749_16" class="yshortcuts">GCC countries</span> are currently carrying out <span id="lw_1259732749_17" class="yshortcuts">feasibility studies</span> on the proposed rail network linking the member states.<br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">In Qatar, work is expected to begin first on the Doha Metro Network, which will be developed as one cluster. Qatar’s <span id="lw_1259732749_18" class="yshortcuts">Urban Planning</span> and Development Authority is overseeing the work.<br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">According to a source, the kind of metro Qatar is looking at is “mostly underground which takes time to build”.<br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The first section runs 30km from the under-construction Lusail mega-project to the New Doha International Airport. Four further sections, originally set to break ground between 2010 and 2012, run a total of 55km.<br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The <span id="lw_1259732749_19" class="yshortcuts">New Doha International Airport Steering</span> Committee has invited companies to pre-qualify for a contract to build a <span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1259732749_20" class="yshortcuts">train station</span> at the airport.<br />UK-based Mace International is the project manager for the scheme, known as the Passenger Rail Station Box. The project involves building a <span id="lw_1259732749_21" class="yshortcuts">railway station terminal</span> for an express airport rail line that will connect to rail and <span id="lw_1259732749_22" class="yshortcuts">metro stations</span> in downtown Doha and other rail networks.</span></span></p></td></tr>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-24515611684992362052009-11-23T01:38:00.001-08:002009-11-23T01:38:53.927-08:00<div style="FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"> <h1 class="MainTitle">77.8% face non payment issues: poll</h1><span class="GrayFont">by Conrad Egbert on Nov 19, 2009</span> <span><a href="http://www.constructionweekonline.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span id="lw_1258969173_3" class="yshortcuts">www.constructionweekonline.com</span></a></span> <div class="topBottomBorder"><span class="FloatLeft"><a href="http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-6956-778-face-non-payment-issues-poll/#show=comments" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a></span><span class="FloatRight"> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100"> <tbody> <tr> <td valign="top"><br /></td> <td valign="top"><br /></td> <td valign="top"><br /></td> <td style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px" valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><span class="ArticleImageColumn"> <div> </div><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">The majority of contractors say they're having serious problems getting paid by clients </span><br /><br /></span> <p><strong>According to an online poll on this website, 77.8% of respondents have said they are facing “serious difficulty getting clients to pay” for work they’re carried out on projects with only 22.2% saying they’ve “had some delays but cash is still coming through.” </strong><br /><br />No one (0%) clicked on the option “we've been fairly paid, and paid on time.”</p> <p>Most contractors in the region have said they have had trouble getting some private and government clients to pay up money owed to them for projects they’re working on.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Due to the financial crisis, many developers in the region have had finance issues, which have resulted in their being unable to pay contractors for work done.</p> <p>But contractors feel this is not good for the industry as it hurts the region’s image as a business hub. Some contractors like Besix have not tendered for the past <span id="lw_1258969173_4" class="yshortcuts">nine months</span>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>“If we’re not getting paid, what’s the point in putting in a tender?” asks Philippe Dessoy general manager Six Construct, which is part of a consortium working on the <span id="lw_1258969173_5" class="yshortcuts">finishing touches</span> on the Burj Dubai, scheduled to open <span style="BORDER-BOTTOM: #0066cc 1px dashed; CURSOR: hand" id="lw_1258969173_6" class="yshortcuts">on January 4</span>.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>“We’re not a bank, we are providing a service and we expect to be paid for it. It’s simple business. If we’re not paid, how will our business survive and in the end that would affect any company’s decision to be here,” he added.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Thomas Barry, CEO of Arabtec, which is the largest listed contractor in the UAE, also said that payment issues are an ongoing problem.</p> <p>“We’re trying to come up with various ways to overcome the issue but we’re still going around in circles,” said Barry.</p> <p>“We’ve been offered property in return but that’s not going to help us in any way as the property is being sold to us at boom prices which are not reasonable anymore.”</p> <p><br /></p> <p><span id="lw_1258969173_7" class="yshortcuts">Dutco Balfour Beatty general manager</span>, Grahame McCaig said at the<em> Construction Week</em> Dubai Conference earlier this month that property given in lieu of payments was not going to solve the problem.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>“Accepting property in lieu of payments won’t allow us to pay our sub contractors or maintain a workforce of people. We have to pay their salaries so we need cash, not property.”</p> <p><br /></p> <p>But <span id="lw_1258969173_8" class="yshortcuts">Dubai</span>’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) director of marketing and <span id="lw_1258969173_9" class="yshortcuts">corporate communication</span> Peyman Younes Partham told Construction Week that the RTA didn’t have these problems.<br /><br />“There’s a contract that binds any work that we do. We have been operating for four years and have spent over US $8 billion (AED30 billion) on different projects, so that’s a lot of contracts and we haven’t had any issues.</p><br />“That’s because the RTA doesn’t have a habit of not honouring contracts, and neither do its partners. If we do a lot of projects, there’s bound to be a lot of work going on and some differences, but nothing that can’t be solved,” he added. </div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-15383720402590067372009-11-21T01:49:00.000-08:002009-11-21T01:50:27.031-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: bold; ">One in Three Ashghal Projects Delayed</span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Web posted at: 11/9/2009 6:23:1</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Source ::: THE PENINSULA</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258796893_2">DOHA</span>: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has admitted to not being able to complete more than 32 percent of the planned infrastructure projects.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The contracting companies that were awarded the various projects encountered a number of problems. For instance, some of them took up work beyond their capacity, while others suffered because <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258796893_3">building material</span> became expensive.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The escalating cost of building materials led to the failure of contractors to manage their respective projects with the payments they received in instalments from the PWA. Moreover, the designs of some projects were changed very late, almost at the time a project was to be implemented, which again made the contractors suffer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was disclosed by the Acting General Manager of Ashghal, Nasser Al Moulvi, to <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258796893_4">Al Sharq</span> in a detailed interview yesterday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking about the delay in projects, Al Moulvi said: "We should also take some blame with the contracting companies. It is not entirely their fault."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">When told that it is generally believed that Ashghal soft-pedals on the issue of erring contractors and does not act tough, he said the contracting companies, on the contrary, accused "us of being tough with them." "As a matter of policy we do not believe in penalising contractors unless driven to the wall because our focus is on seeing a project completed without compromising on quality," said the official.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Asked about the German company (Bilfinger Berger)and the jeopardized <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1258796893_5">February 22</span> Road project, he said only 30 percent of the work was remaining and work will resume by the year-end.</div></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">Asked if the dispute with the company was over QR850m, Al Moulvi said the amount was close to it, and in reply to another question if the German firm would be awarded any other contract, he quipped: "No, not at all. The <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; "><span style="font-size:100%;">question does not arise."</span> </span></span></div><p></p></span>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-84687898734187395972009-11-09T07:43:00.000-08:002009-11-09T07:44:08.816-08:00<div align="justify">Price escalation in Qatar<br /><br /><br />, November 8th, 2009<br /><br />Chandana Jayalath discusses what to do when faced with price escalation in Qatar.<br /><br />The majority of contractors in Qatar have been locked into lumpsum fixed-priced contracts where there is no provision for price escalation. Open market vacillations are a risk to the contractors, even in contracts having long durations.<br /><br />But a surge in material costs has considerably affected the bottom line where profit margins are not as high as they once were.<br /><br /><br />For example, in Qatar, during the last ten months steel prices went up by an average of 65%, Red Meranti timber by 70% and asphalt by 40%. As a result, contractors have been searching for recovery means through claims on their own basis.<br /><br />Many contractors use consumer price index (CPI) as the basis for claims although the purpose of the index is far different.<br /><br />However, contractors will have a difficult, if not impossible task in getting respite from such increases. Even if the contract has become economically burdensome, it is unlikely to be sufficient to excuse performance.<br /><br />The only way to get rid of this issue is to compensate the additional cost on an ex-gratia basis in existing contracts and share the risk on a contractual basis in future contracts.<br /><br />The aim behind any strategy should be to reasonably reimburse the contractor for changes in input prices over which they have no control at all.<br /><br />This means the contractor can be eligible if he could not foresee in advance. On the other hand, it may be cheaper in the long run for the employer to pay for what happened rather than what the contractor thought might happen in those areas of doubt, which the contractor cannot influence. The benefit of the doubt would then be passed on to the employer.<br /><br />Albeit contract provisions do not provide for claims that are not capable of being contractually supported, the employer may well be in a position to consider them at corporate level since it is a macro economic global crisis that has been unprecedented.<br /><br />The foregoing is not only limited to contractors; consultants also face a similar situation in their contracts.<br /><br />PSA which stands for professional services agreement has been extensively adopted in the procurement of consultancy services in public infrastructure projects in Qatar, although it is relatively an old version that goes far back to 1984.<br /><br />Typically, the contracts for professional services, be them design or supervision, include a project brief prepared by the employer describing what he intends to obtain or the scope of service. In addition to the project brief, there are three separate schedules forming part of many consultancy contracts in Qatar.<br /><br />A clause in schedule B of the memorandum of agreement states that “should there be any extension to the contract period, the consultant must continue the services at the same monthly rates and prices” so that it expressly forbids any fee adjustment in the contract and shall pass the pricing risk onto the consultants for an indefinite period of extension.<br /><br />It further contradicts the clauses 7.6 and 7.7 of the PSA which says that “service during longer periods shall be deemed to involve additional services” and “the government and the consultants shall agree any additional or reduced fees prior to beginning any additional or changed services”.<br /><br />This provides an opportunity to agree on new rates for longer periods than shown in schedule C in the contract. Optionally, the engineer may treat each case individually by recommending compatible rates.<br /><br />A consistent criteria is important, particularly when the professional service market is so volatile in nature that prediction on the fee structures for longer periods is hard, requests for the period is beyond the original completion date, reasons for extension is no fault of the consultant and when uninterrupted service is critical to finish.<br /><br />In these circumstances, a ‘reasonable’ compensation within a ‘contractual’ framework is imperative for the well-being of the industry as a whole.<br /><br />Who is Dr Chandana Jayalath?<br />Dr Chandana Jayalath is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and a senior contracts specialist for the Public Works Authority (PWA) in Qatar. His latest industrial exposure has been sidelined in the settlement of various commercial and contractual issues, claims and disputes arising in the infrastructure projects spearheaded by the PWA.<br /></div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-83687288947695032982009-11-09T07:34:00.000-08:002009-11-09T07:41:38.863-08:00Ashghal wins legal battle against German firmAshghal wins legal battle against German firm<br />Web posted at: 11/1/2009 5:24:17<br />Source ::: THE PENINSULA<br /><br />DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has won a legal battle with the German construction major Bilfinger-Berger, the main contractor of the 22 February Road project. The court lifted a ban on Ashghal against awarding the construction works of the delayed project to another contractor, an Arabic daily reported.<br /><br />Ashghal and the Bilfinger have been on a tug of war after the German company allegedly failed to carry out the project works as per the original schedule. Ashghal later announced that it would award the project to three other contracting companies. Bilfinger approached the court against the Ashghal decision and the court delivered an order temporarily restricting the Authority from its move. The court, however, after hearing Ashghal delivered an order in favour of Ashghal.<br /><br />It was in March 2009, Ashghal formally announced that Bilfinger partially suspended the project work. Both the parties tried to reach a consensus to resume work. As the talks failed, Ashghal announced its decision to award the works to other contractors. It was against this backdrop, Bilfinger approached the court.<br /><br /><br />Ashghal in road revamp drive<br />Web posted at: 11/1/2009 8:27:31<br />Source ::: The Peninsula<br /><br />DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has launched a QR8.5m project to develop Al Murrah area and many major roads leading to the area. The decision is part of Ashghal’s ongoing projects to develop Qatar’s suburban roads to ease the traffic congestions in the areas.<br /><br />QPS International Company is responsible of developing Madinat Khalifa North and Markhia (area No. 32 and 33) roads at a cost of QR178m. The work is expected to be completed by September 2011.<br /><br />Bin Omran Contracting and Trading Company are in charge of developing the Madinat Khalifa South and Markhia (area No. 34) roads at a cost of QR197m. The work is scheduled to be completed in April 2011.<br /><br />The Middle Rayyan (Area No. 2) project work has been awarded to Al Jabber & Al Makhlouf Contracting Company. The QR35m project work is expected to be completed by August next year.<br /><br />The construction of the roads leading to Barwa City is scheduled to be completed in September 2011. The QR63m project has been awarded to Marbo Contracting Company.SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-82080056280252661562009-10-20T22:04:00.000-07:002009-10-20T22:05:11.066-07:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;"><b>Ashghal inks contracts worth QR1bn</b></span> <span style="font-size: 11px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br />Web posted at: 10/20/2009 1:28:52<br />Source ::: The Peninsula</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><table width="10%" align="right" bgcolor="#e9e9e9"><tbody><tr><td><img src="http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/images/October2009/21ashagal.jpg" vspace="1" align="right" hspace="1" /></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><span style="font-family:verdana;font-size:78%;">Acting General Manager of Ashghal Nasser Ali Al Mawlawi and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_0">Business Development Manager</span> of Aljaber Engineering Chan Chung-Yan shakes hands after the signing ceremony held at the Ashghal headquarters yesterday. Salim Matramkot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has signed a slew of major projects in roads, drainage, and building sectors. The QR1bn plus value projects include construction of a number of schools, construction of roads and development of drainage networks.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">Nasser Ali Al Mawlawi, Acting General Manager, Ashghal, signed the contracts with the concerned companies at a function held at the Authority’s headquarters yesterday. One of the key projects, include the development and modernisation of road infrastructure in Madinat <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_1">Khalifa</span> (South).</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">The work include reconstruction of roads with new asphalt and curbstones, interlocking tiles for footpaths, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_2">parking lots</span>, in addition to the implementation of the new network for the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_3">rain water drainage</span> upgrading the old drainage network with disposal rooms, upgrading fresh water network with domestic links, as well as modernising the telephone lines, electricity network and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_4" style="cursor: pointer; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; -webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; background-position: initial initial; ">new street lighting</span>.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">The QR178.5m project covers an area from Markhia <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_5">Roundabout</span> up to Emigration Roundabout, between Khalifa Street and Omar bin Khatab Street.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">Ashghal signed a separate contract with QBS International for the development of internal roads of Madinat Khalifa (North) and Markhiya. The project envisages development of all internal infrastructures and upgrading the asphalt level, footpaths, interlock, landscaping and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_6">street lighting</span>.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">The contract with Marbo contracting company include the earthworks for peripheral roads at <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_7">Barwa</span> City-Phase-I. The project works include the clean up of the site and removal of all debris and waste material and its disposal in the treatment plant for hazardous substances at 40km away from the project site.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">The works also include re-establishment of the existing hanagar construction on the actual borders of the proposed Barwa city. The proposed project also includes temporary protection to <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_8" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">oil and gas pipelines</span> owned by Qatar petroleum and the establishment of concrete walls adjacent to the proposed road platform.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">Road development in Central Rayyan is another major contract that the Authority signed yesterday. The works consists of construction roads and intersections in the Zone of 35 of Al Rayyan Municipality. The work also include facilitating the work on the project taking into account the future works including traffic diversions and protecting existing services such as services of water, electricity, telephone and drainage.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">Design and Construction of a 1200 Transmission Main to Al Rakhiya Farm from <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_9">Doha</span> West and Operation and maintenance of two Sewer Treatment Plants at Nuaija and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_10">Industrial area</span> are the other two key projects.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br />Ashghal also signed contract for the construction of six different school complexes. The school building consists of two-story reinforced concrete construction comprising 25 classrooms to accommodate a total of 650 students. The building will have facilities of laboratory, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_11">indoor game</span> halls, a theatre and external services including guardrooms, service rooms, sports arena, shaded <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_12">car parking</span> and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_13">compound wall</span> around a total area of 10,000 square meters. </span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:#cc0000;"><b><br /><br /><br /></b></span><span style="font-size: 11px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br />Web posted at: 10/20/2009<br />Source ::: The Peninsula</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:130%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">DOHA: The Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has revealed that discussions were progressing to resolve the disputes between Ashghal and the contracting companies which are involved in some of the prestigious projects of the Ashghal, the Authority has revealed.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">Talking to reporters here yesterday, Nasser Ali Al Mawlawi, Acting General Manager, Ashghal said that the project works of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_14" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">22 February</span> Street, a major component of the multi-million riyal Doha <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_15" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">Expressway</span>, would be resumed by the end of this year.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">The prestigious 22 February Interchange and Al Amir Street is a major <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_16">infrastructure development project</span>undertaken by Ashghal as part of its efforts to modernise the infrastructure network of the State. This important part of Doha Expressway project is estimated at QR15bn. The 22 February and Amir Street project is a 6km stretch beginning from Emigration Interchange extending up to Al Asiri Underpass on D Ring road. The project estimated at QR1.28bn includes construction of four interchanges with one bridge and one of them with four levels with three-lane <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_17">dual carriageways</span>. The work also include construction of 5.5km service road along the major street.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">The <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_18">Joint Venture</span> comprising <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_19" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">Bilfinger Berger</span> of Germany and Al Hamid of UAE undertakes the project. The project was halted following a financial dispute between Ashghal and the contracting company early this year. The company left the work in midway March this year. The tug of war between Ashghal and the contracting company had also affected the project work of Industrial Interchange. The project is again part of Doha Expressway. The project site in the west side entrance to Doha is interlinked with two busy routes, Salwa International Highway and Industrial area, and therefore people are eagerly waiting for the completion of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256101438_20" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">ongoing project</span> works on the route.</span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">“The disputes between the contractors of some projects have almost resolved. The discussions regarding some other projects are fast progressing”, Al Mawlawi said. He said Ashghal is not discriminating local companies with foreign companies while awarding contract to major projects. There are a good number of local companies which are involved in some of our prestigious projects.<br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;"></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12px; font-family:arial;color:black;">On the delay in the completion of schools projects, Al Mawlawi said the recession and the dispute between Ashghal and a section of contracting companies have contributed to delay in project works. “However, we are confident of completing the school projects well ahead of the next academic year,” he said.</span></span></p></span>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-17054084143814936572009-10-19T22:21:00.000-07:002009-10-19T22:22:18.443-07:00Expert calls for review of Construction Laws<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 19px; ">Monday 19/10/2009 October, 2009,<br /><img src="http://www.gulf-times.com/site/images/spacer.gif" width="5" border="0" /><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><u><span style="color:#ff0000;">By Sarmad Qazi</span></u></strong><br /></span></p><span style="font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Unnecessary appointment of “experts” is bogging down the flow of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256016092_0" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">court rulings</span> and delaying the cases being heard in Qatar courts, a legal expert has said. </div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">Ala’a <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256016092_1" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">Hamad</span>, managing director of Arab Law Bureau, said the practice is particularly irksome in construction-related cases where the role of experts should be rectified.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">Speaking at a Society of Construction Law – Gulf (SCL) event in Doha, Hamad, whose presentation focused on ‘Dispute Resolution and the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256016092_2">Qatar</span> Courts’, said: “With the size and complexity of projects (construction) going on in Qatar, we wouldn’t expect a judge to become an expert in matters related to construction.”<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">In such cases, according to Hamad, experts are appointed with the role of assisting a judge by providing the court a clear picture after checking through technical details and information.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">“But in Qatar, too many experts are being asked to actually determine which party is liable in a <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1256016092_3" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">court case</span>. And that is actually a very valid ground for lawyers for an appeal,” Hamad added.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The Arab Law Bureau’s practice includes construction contracts, banking and project finance, setting up of businesses in Qatar, joint ventures, international contracts and litigation and insurance.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">“An expert is an expert and not a judge. There is an inherent defect in the laws that would need to be immediately addressed,” Hamad suggested. </span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Giving an overview of the laws of the country, Hamad said Qatar has a civil law largely based on Egyptian laws which in turn were influenced by French laws. </div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">Civil law means, laws are generally based on the principle and judgements issued by courts from time to time and are not binding on future rulings. </span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Shariah does not play a major part in construction claims and is confined to addressing such matters as inheritance disputes among others. </div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">“Prior to 2004, we only had a ministerial decision pursuant to the old building law and it was very limited. After 2004, we have a lot of sections on construction,” Hamad explained.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">According to him, when a claim is filed by contractors (in some cases government agencies against contractors), an expert is asked to file a report before the court on what he has seen at the site. There could be more than one expert depending on the size and complexity of the project.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">“In one instance, we filed a case against a company claiming QR1mn but the other company said it was only QR800,000 and after re-checking our client agreed to the amount. But in the meantime the judge had already appointed an expert. That slowed down the case, and eventually delayed a decision,” he recalled.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The meeting was chaired by Jennifer Westall (senior associate at Eversheds LLP and member of the SCL committee).</span></p></span>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-50244560595487234902009-10-18T00:38:00.000-07:002009-10-18T00:39:39.195-07:00Expert Proposes Dispute Board for Building Industry<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; "><span style="font-size:130%;"><img src="http://www.gulf-times.com/site/images/spacer.gif" width="5" border="0" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; " /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; ">GULF TIMES Saturday 17/10/2009 October, 2009</span><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><u><span style="color:#ff0000;"><br /></span></u></strong></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><u><span style="color:#ff0000;">By Sarmad Qazi</span></u></strong><br /></span></p><span style="font-size:85%;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">An expert has called for all the construction contracts in the country to include provision for a ‘dispute board’ if contractors want ‘happy endings’ to their projects. </span></div></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking at a Society of Construction Law – Gulf (SCL), <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255850617_0">Wayne Clark</span>, the contract co-ordinator for a leading global contractor (<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255850617_1" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">Bilfinger Berger</span>) which has multi-million dollar contracts in Qatar, said that the success rate of dispute board is a significant 99%. </div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">“If we desire happy endings to our projects then we should all call for dispute boards in our contracts,” Clark said.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">“Used efficiently, the dispute boards are also advantageous in lowering expensive litigation, and arbitration. They also take less time when compared to litigation,” he added.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255850617_2" style="border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer; ">American Arbitration Association</span> (AAA) puts the success rate of its dispute boards at 99%.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">Explaining the mechanism of the boards, Clark said first contractors should ensure to know the dispute clause at the tender stage and in the absence of a suggestion of a dispute board should request for one.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">“They are usually made up of three members, rarely only one. The selection process includes each party (contractor, client) nominating one person both of who go on to nominate a board chair.”<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">The dispute board members should hold regular site visits for more interaction which allows identification of potential differences at a very early stage. </span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify;">“In case of a dispute between the parties, the board uses multi-layered steps including holding joint meetings with all parties, followed by private meetings. There is also a ‘cooling off period’ where parties are obliged to at least make earnest attempt to an amicable settlement,” the expert noted.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">“Throughout the mediation effort, the boards should encourage communication and ensure a relaxed atmosphere where common sense can prevail,” he added. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; ">In case of a dispute board is unsuccessful in resolving a dispute, the matter is then taken to the local courts by the aggrieved parties.</span></div><span style="font-size:100%;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Narrating the story of an international contractor which had a major infrastructure project in Doha up until 2009, but one that was eventually terminated towards the end by the client, Clark said there was no dispute board mechanism in the contract.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">“Quite late in the process real differences arose. These differences then led to an untimely and premature end to the contract while damaging the relationship the contractor had with sub-contractors and all parties.”<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">“Had we had the dispute board mechanism the barriers erected by differences would never have been created or if they did could have been torn down,” Clark added.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">SCL-Gulf aims to promote the study and understanding of construction law amongst all those involved in the construction industry in the UAE and Gulf region.</span></p></span>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-73360945237532756022009-10-12T00:16:00.000-07:002009-10-12T00:23:52.865-07:00Major Projects Delay in QATAR<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"><table dir="ltr" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="468" style="text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr style="font-weight: bold; "><td class="gulfBodyTitles" align="left" style="padding-left: 6px; padding-top: 10px; "><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="text-decoration: underline; ">German firm bags contract for <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_0">Expressway</span></span><img border="0" width="5" style="text-decoration: underline; " src="" /><br /></span>GULF TIMES Sunday 5/2/2006 February, 2006,<br /></td></tr><tr><td class="gulfBodyTxt" align="left" style="padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 6px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><b><p align="left" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="color:#ff0000;">Staff Reporter</span></p></b></span><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="color:#800040;"><br /></span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="color:#800040;">Ashghal, the Public Works Authority, has signed a contract with<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_1">Bilfinger Berger</span>, a prominent German contracting company, and Al-Hamed Development and Construction Company from the UAE.</span></strong></span></p><p align="left" style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p align="left" style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The QR998mn project pertains to improving the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_2">22nd February</span> and the Emir Streets, Ashghal officials said.</span></p><p align="left" style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p align="left" style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The project is part of Doha Expressway, which will link the north with other parts of the country. The expressway will be implemented in nine independent phases in accordance with Ashghal’s five-year plan, due to be completed by <span style="font-weight: bold; ">April 2009</span>, the officials explained.</span></p><p align="left" style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p align="left" style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The project will consist of four main junctions including Omar Bin Al Khattab and Al Rayyan interchanges. This will also involve a flyover with four-level routes, officials said.</span></p><p align="left" style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p align="left" style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">Alternative diversion routes will be in place for easy traffic flow during the construction of the project, the officials stressed.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">Bilfinger Berger is a renowned international contracting companiy, which takes up massive projects for private and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_3">public sectors</span></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table dir="ltr" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="468"><tbody><tr style="text-decoration: underline; font-weight: bold; "><td class="gulfBodyTitles" align="left" style="padding-left: 6px; padding-top: 10px; "><span style="font-size:130%;">Ashghal Awards Major Road Contracts Croatian firm wins a QR627mn deal</span></td></tr><tr height="10" valign="top" style="padding-top: 5px; padding-right: 10px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 6px; font-weight: bold; "><td class="gulfBodyTxt" align="left"> GULF TIMES Wednesday 19/7/2006 July, 2006</td></tr><tr><td class="gulfBodyTxt" align="left" style="padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 6px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><u><span style="color:#ff0000;"><table align="right" border="0" style="width: 24px; height: 42px; "><tbody><tr><td align="middle"><br /></td></tr><tr><td class="imgcaption" id="Comment" dir="rtl" align="middle" valign="top"><span style="font-size:78%;color:#0080ff;"><strong><br /></strong></span></td></tr></tbody></table>Staff Reporter</span></u></strong><br /><span style="font-size:100%;color:#ff0080;">A QR627.65mn agreement was formally signed yesterday between a Croatian firm and the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) for the construction of a major inter-change as part of the QR8bn Doha Expressway project. The project connects north of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_4">Doha</span> with the south and the east with the west. Officials of the Konstructor Inzenjering d.d. Split Company and Ashghal exchanged documents at a function held at the Ashghal head office in the presence of Croatian Minister for Infrastructure Wajidar Kalmitam and assistant minister Tomek Rafika.</span> <span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><div style="text-align: justify;">Speaking at the function, al-Khayareen said the Croatian firm was awarded the contract after a global tender where there were many bidders. He expressed the hope that with their better and superior expertise in the construction of such major works, the contractors would be able to deliver the ambitious project on schedule.</div><p></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Drago Jozouk, Konstructor Inzenjering company manager (<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_5">Middle East</span>), Ashghal officials assistant managing director for technical affairs Ahmed Sultan al-Kuwari, acting assistant managing director (accounts and finance) Sheikh Hassan bin Jabor al-Thani, acting director of roads affairs Anas Ismail al-Keilani and acting manager (finance department) Saif al-Kaabi attended the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_6">signing ceremony</span>.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"> The proposed interchange is to be built at the north-east corner of the Industrial Area, at the inter-section of the Salwa Road with Al Forousiyah Street. Besides building the four-level interchange, a 1km underpass having a three-lane dual carriage way, a roundabout with three lanes on the level of the existing Salwa Road, an east-west bridge and a bridge linking the road with East Industrial Street are other features of the project, which is to be completed in <span style="font-weight: bold; ">26 months</span> <span style="font-weight: bold; ">(October 2008)</span>, starting in September 2006.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"> The Expressway project will be executed in phases through nine independent projects within Ashghal’s five-year plan ending in 2009-10. Ashghal signed in January this year a contract worth QR998.80mn with a conglomerate of Al Hamed Development and Construction of the UAE and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_7">Bilfinger Berger AG</span> of Germany for the construction of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_8">22 February Intersection and Emiri Street, as part of the Doha Expressway (Phases 1 and 2).</span></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"> Meanwhile, the Croatian minister told journalists that his country was exploring ways to win more contracts in the region in view of the ongoing massive construction boom in the GCC states, notably in UAE and Qatar. He said the successful completion of the Doha project would help firms from his country earn a good reputation in the region.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"> Zidric and Jozouk told <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_9">Gulf Times</span> the Doha project was a major challenge to their firm and expressed the hope that they would be able to live up to the expectations in Qatar and complete the project on schedule.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table dir="ltr" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="468" style="text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td class="gulfBodyTitles" align="left" style="padding-left: 6px; padding-top: 10px; "><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; ">Ashghal Awards its Biggest Contract</span></span></td></tr><tr><td class="gulfBodyTxt" align="left" style="padding-right: 5px; padding-left: 6px; "><span style="font-weight: bold; ">GULF TIMES Tuesday 10/7/2007 July, 2007</span><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="color:#ff0080;">Staff Reporter</span></strong></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="color:#8000ff;"><table align="left" border="0" width="10"><tbody><tr><td align="middle"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="color:#8000ff;"><br /></span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="color:#8000ff;">THE Public Works Authority (Ashghal) yesterday awarded its biggest contract, North Road (phases 2 & 3), worth QR2.181bn, to</span></strong></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><strong><span style="color:#8000ff;">Tekfen Constructions Companyof Turkey.<br /></span></strong></span></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br /></p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The deal for the 94km of the major thoroughfare was signed by Zayed Mansoor al-Khayarin, managing director and board member of Ashghal, and Umit Ozdemir, chairman of the Turkish company.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The second phase stretches for 33km, from the Duhail Interchange to Al-Khor with a 5km dual, three-lane extension to Simeisma. The third phase runs from Al-Khor to Ruwais, at the northern tip of the peninsula.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The first phase, a 4.5km highway from Immigration Interchange to North Bridge, is nearing completion.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The second phase includes construction of a four-lane <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_10">dual carriageway</span>with service roads and nine multi-level interchanges and two weighbridges.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">It also includes development of infrastructure network and landscaping. Upgrading Simeisma Interchange is also part of the Phase 2 works.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The third phase runs for 61km from Al-Khor to Ruwais, and includes construction of four-lane dual carriageway with service roads on both sides. This section will have 11 multi-level interchanges, five camel crossing underpasses, fence to keep away animals and two weighbridges. Infrastructure network and landscaping is also included in this project.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The work formally begins on September 1 and runs for 30 months to end<span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_11">on <span style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; ">March 1, 2010</span></span>.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">“But, we already started the work a couple of months ago and hope to finish it earlier than the scheduled date,” said Ozdemir.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">Giving details of the project, officials said the entire project would have nine dual carriageway bridges, 11 single carriageway bridges, two tunnels (one dual carriageway and the other single), and construction of stabilising earth retaining walls.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">Besides 94km of expressway, the project also includes construction of 13.7km of dual, two-lane crossing roads, and about 48km of single carriageway, two-lane roads.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The Turkish company also would have to demolish the existing Northern Relief/Simeisma bridge and build connections with the surrounding road network and services.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The company is also responsible for maintenance of traffic and detours, relocation, realignment and diversion of existing utilities and telecommunication works. It also has to provide <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_12">street lighting columns</span> and high masts, landscaping and irrigation, ducting for <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1255331464_13">intelligent transport systems</span> and traffic signages and traffic markings. Drainage works are also included.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The assistant managing director for technical affairs at Ashghal, Ahmed Sultan al-Kuwari, said double-lane diversion routes would be provided with “minimum inconvenience” to motorists.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-size:100%;">The signing ceremony, held at Sharq Village and Spa, was attended by Turkish Ambassador Mithat Rende, Ashghal’s acting manager of roads affairs Anas al-Kilani, Tekfen’s vice chairman Ayhan Sariyoglu, vice president Osman Brigili and country representative Alkas Bekisoglu.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-31067063333121905022009-10-09T22:39:00.000-07:002009-10-09T22:43:10.885-07:00Construction costs fall steeply<div align="justify">Web posted at: 10/8/2009 7:8:53<br />Source ::: THE PENINSULA / By MOHAMED SAEED<br /><br />DOHA: Construction costs have come down almost 25 to 40 percent since early last year when the industry was booming.<br /><br /><br />Reliable sources in the building industry say the cost of construction being quoted in tenders has now slid to around QR4,000 per square meters for high quality construction.<br />The rates until late last year — before the onset of the global recession hit the real estate sector — were between QR5,000 and QR6,000 per square meters for high-quality building projects.<br /><br /><br />The rates apply to both government and private projects. As for projects that do not focus so much on quality, the rates could be much lower, say sources.<br /><br /><br />“AS we know, there has been a slowdown in the industry as compared to last year and it is clearly reflected in the rates contractors have now been quoting in bids for private as well as state projects,” said a source in the building industry.<br /><br /><br />At least 60 percent of a project’s costs go towards buying building materials, while the remaining 40 percent is spent on hiring labour, among other things. It also includes the contractor’s margins.<br /><br /><br />The sector has now begun showing some recovery. The demolitions being carried out in some areas of Doha (a reference to Al Musherib area) might refuel construction boom as they would eventually pave the way for new constructions to begin, sources said.<br /><br /><br />“This (demolitions) is a way to bring buoyancy back to the building industry as new projects are launched on razed sites,” said a source.<br /><br /><br />Asked how the increased steel prices were going to affect the construction sector, he said the hike had not actually made much difference since the demand for basic building materials such as cement and steel remain much subdued as compared to last year during the peak of the boom.<br /><br /><br />“Since not many new projects are being launched now, the increased rates of steel, or even cement for that matter, do not mean much as the demand remains lower,” said another source.<br />According to him, people in the industry are, however, surprised by the steel price hike because of the demand being low. “I think the move has to do with the global trend. Steel prices have lately being going up in the international market, having plummeted late last year,” said the source.<br /><br /><br />But locally, the prices of steel might have been raised because of the removal of government subsidy.<br /><br /><br />The development (removal of subsidy) is a welcome sign because it at least signals that the local construction industry is limping back to normalcy with the worst phase being over. </div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-28482560835996027052009-10-05T00:49:00.000-07:002009-10-05T00:50:47.114-07:00Contractors can claim losses in government projects<strong>Contractors can claim losses in government projects </strong><br />Web posted at: 10/2/2009 1:48:51<br />Source ::: The Peninsula<br />By MOBIN PANDIT& MOHAMED SAEED<br /><br />DOHA: Contracting companies handling state projects can now claim compensation for delayed payment or delays in project implementation due to modifications in design or any other technical reasons.<br /><br />Similarly, contractors fined for delaying a project due to genuine reasons will now be able to request for leniency or a waiver.<br /><br />Also, firms supplying materials to state agencies can make claims for compensation if they suffer losses due to sudden spurt in import costs or due to any other genuine reason.<br /><br />A committee has been set up in the Ministry of Economy and Finance that would look into claims and compensation requests from contractors on the above or any other ground.<br /><br />The move follows assurances given by the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani at his interface with local businessmen at the Doha Sheraton recently, that such concerns of contractors would be looked into.<br /><br />The Emir H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani yesterday ratified a Cabinet decision (No. 38 of 2009) ordering the setting up of the aforesaid panel at the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The Undersecretary at the Ministry in charge of financial affairs will head the committee, while one of the two Ministry officials to be nominated by the Minister to be on the panel, will be its vice-chairman.<br /><br />The panel will have representatives from various ministries and state agencies, including the Ministry of Municipality and Urban Planning,Ministry of Justice and the State Audit Bureau.<br /><br />These bodies will be free to nominate representatives of their choice and each of them will be paid a monthly honorarium of QR4,000. Membership tenure of the panel will be three years which would be renewable for a year or more.<br /><br />There will also be provisions for altering an agreement with a contractor if a project is delayed for any reason.<br /><br />The panel has been asked to put adequate regulations in place to organise its work, but is required to meet at least once every fortnight at the Finance Ministry premises. It has been entrusted with the authority to form technical sub-committees to ensure smooth functioning.<br /><br />Cases already in court will not be entertained and those who do not accept the ruling of the committee will, however, be free to move the judiciary. Through another decision (No. 39 of 2009) ratified by the Emir yesterday, ministries and government agencies have been empowered to award project, purchase or service contracts of up to the maximum value of QR200,000 on their own. For such contracts, direct agreement with a party concerned can be signed by a government entity.SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-56001157364922393852009-10-05T00:43:00.000-07:002009-10-05T00:59:23.894-07:00February 22 Road project to be ready by ’10-endFebruary 22 Road project to be ready by ’10-end<br />Web posted at: 10/4/2009 0:55:49<br />Source ::: The Peninsula<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNhyphenhyphenZX-O2Zn9lvJKTLhWk8Lm7vODUdScnliqJxHA0EVo4lCgbaryrw4ctEtwcVVHQ4FO2dUb_tA57qido5kl46S9gPB5A9D_RYVDryyP2AtYKhmMiq_WljZH2I7lOopWtbabo323B3bAB/s320/3.jpg" /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">DOHA: The February 22 Road (D Ring Road linking Sudan roundabout to Al Shamal) project, which has been delayed, is likely to be completed by the end of next year as the work is being awarded to three new contractors, Al Sharq reported yesterday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4qZ5EpCeFT9BwdRPpE1mQQWghnaQbdmZm4PPoj4GuMzkqLvwWqqABAsNCitGF-p3HOEFG8qoBQ6_Y8EiBPPb_dj0DV_rXuMlNATWBngysHz07RsioKrfrfjXxzV1YRfTaoslWeMzCR68c/s320/2.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Legal action has been taken against the existing contractors and its outcome is being awaited after which new contracts will be awarded, the daily said. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPBo7uZyd2aQ0ypPPr-wVqoTOTvdj7fn1Ila59KFb5IHBWH1Tk_y4NDiVbiuTClVC1ZrNz6hgF5SRykjCQnqQ2vNUfy3otMEnaNppEM81Y1AgZZ3Jvyji2vUzkkaNQ0xs-gHEx2nnPxyKR/s320/1.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is cut from Bilfinger Berger homepage. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>“ <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Legal dispute in Qatar / new earnings outlook<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>September 9, 2009<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bilfinger Berger: legal dispute in Qatar / new earnings outlook<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bilfinger Berger expects termination of the contract for a road construction project in Qatar. <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Despite interventions at the highest political level, the client is not willing to settle <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>outstanding debts running into the triple digit million Euros.<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>For some time now the project has been suffering from significant disruptions and delays for <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>which the client is responsible. For this reason, the construction period has more than <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>doubled from the original 24 months. The client has already accepted responsibility for a 21-<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>month extension of the construction period.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdcGoRNEzeEQidB8Fc5-VpcOzUFko4Nj2wf5XdGZP0VXEy6-j_qud8Gy-O6n0o16v1bn05uOGQjcqIlV5AVH8NDloYj-_d1G4yozuwKRc7Bntb2OpGKuWCBSo0XnKphOjS6NNaeXLZ7bHx/s320/4.jpg" /></div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>There is, however, substantial disagreement on the financial consequences, some of which <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>are before the courts. The client is now attempting to avoid his financial obligations by <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>terminating the contract.<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bilfinger Berger is expecting a lengthy legal dispute in the local courts, the outcome of which <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>cannot be predicted with certainty. As a precaution, the Company will therefore make a <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>provision in the amount of EUR80 million. This will lead to a burden on earnings in the third <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>quarter.<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Company had previously expected an EBIT for the full-year 2009 in the amount of <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>EUR250 million. This charge on earnings which can be partially offset by improvements in <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>the Services segment will reduce the EBIT to an amount of EUR210 to EUR230 million.<br /><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>In conformity with ad-hoc-announcement ”</div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-8072048429378732252009-09-15T05:38:00.000-07:002009-09-15T05:41:51.897-07:00Flaws in Salwa road pavement construction<div style="text-align: justify;"><strong></strong><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CShuku%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="date"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="Street"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="address"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} span.yshortcuts {mso-style-name:yshortcuts;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:27.0pt 1.25in 27.0pt 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"></span></strong><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Web posted at: </span><st1:date year="2007" day="6" month="2"><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">2/6/2007</span></st1:date><span style="font-size: 8.5pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> 3:46:28
<br />Source ::: The Peninsula </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><st1:city><st1:place><span class="yshortcuts"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"><span id="lw_1253018268_0">Doha</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> • </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">
<br /></span><o:p></o:p></p> <p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">The </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Qatar</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> General OrganiSation for Standards and <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1253018268_1">Metrology</span></span> (QGOSM) has said that there was clear evidence of a <span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer;" id="lw_1253018268_2">structural failure</span></span> in the construction of the pavements of </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Salwa International Highway</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">. </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Attending a joint meeting of concerned officials, convened by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) to look into the massive cracks developed on Salwa International High way, the QGOSM nominees said that there was very clear evidence of extensive fatigue cracking. At the meeting they expressed their serious concern about the use of the Type 5 pavements utilising a specific crack-arrest- layer (GSB). </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Top Ashghal officials, who attended the meeting, wanted the Parson International Ltd (PIL), the company responsible for the design work for phase 1 of </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Salwa International Highway</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">, to clarify the details of the joint interface between Type 5 pavement and the full depth construction type 1 pavement. They also asked the company why a full-depth construction had not been adopted in accordance with Qatar Highway Design Manual (QHDM). </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">The PIL clarified that the pavement design was done according to the findings of a report prepared on behalf of Roads Department of Government of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Qatar</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">. </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Henry Saville, currently Parsons Sector manager for Roads and Highways in </span><st1:place><span class="yshortcuts"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"><span id="lw_1253018268_3">Europe</span></span></span></st1:place><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">, said that though the PIL did not agree with the contents of the report, they had been required to base their design on the contents of the ERI report which stated that the structure of the existing road pavement was adequate for the traffic loading foreseen. </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Saville, who said that he was responsible for the design works of the highway, added that the design thickness of the required granular sub base layer was increased by 20 per cent in order to accommodate any increase in traffic as well as to allow for then likelihood of overloaded trucks and tyre pressures in excess as anticipated by ERI report. </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Responding to a query from Ashghal authorities, the PIL confirmed that a `crack arresting layer' was not included in the pavement type in the <span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer;" id="lw_1253018268_4">Qatar</span></span> Highway Design Manual (QHDM). It said that a granular subbase crack arresting layer, which was used in </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Salwa Road</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> project, had been used in road pavement rehabilitation in at least three other nations including </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="yshortcuts"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"><span id="lw_1253018268_5">Vietnam</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">, </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Greece</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> and </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="yshortcuts"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"><span id="lw_1253018268_6">Romania</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> and it was performing satisfactorily in these countries. </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">The PIL pointed out that sections of the new road, where the Type 5 pavement had been constructed on </span><st1:street><st1:address><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Salwa Road</span></st1:address></st1:street><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">, had been under traffic pressure for many months. But no pavement distress was recorded. <span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer;" id="lw_1253018268_7">The pavement</span></span> developed cracks only after the heavy and incessant rains in the beginning of December 2006. “A series of tests had been carried out on materials taken from the failed areas, as well as on samples taken from other areas of type 5 pavements. The test results indicated that the materials used had fully complied with the specific standards", the PIL said. </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">PIL pointed out that in one or two of the areas where failures had occurred, some of the asphalt surfacing had not been laid in accordance with the specification and Non-Conformance Reports (NCR's) had been issued to the contractor. </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">The volume of traffic had increased over twenty per cent allowed for in the original design. It also suggested Ashghal to carry out a Benkelman Beam test (BBT). </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">However, Ashghal nominees in the committee pointed out that although the first failures were experienced on sections where only the 60mm asphalt base-course had been laid, there were now almost as many failures on sections of road where wearing course had also been laid. There were a number of pavement failures on sections where the road was constructed on high fill, they said. </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span><o:p></o:p></p><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><p style="text-align: justify;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Responding to a point that there is a clear evidence of structural failure on the crack arresting layer of the pavement, PIL replied:" The trial pit investigations carried out and the associated test results on the GSB layer had produced no evidence of structural failure to the crack arresting layer. </span></p> <span style="font-size: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ><span style="font-size: 12px;font-family:arial;color:black;" ></span></span></div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-70574828247015593732009-09-15T05:30:00.000-07:002009-09-15T05:55:46.272-07:00Expressway project hits roadblock<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgnQdyt2pwbs3fFGhGZ76uKW7FdvoCFncRLIVsK9iLCnaa79damJW5aTJlgagKbh_oVyAaQ98dhePR3cH1DMEiloa-iY1c50vCKd0-yLjWAIOUor0XgRyA6w9M9TdmxzXxcea8F5OKn8U/s1600-h/13092009061.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgnQdyt2pwbs3fFGhGZ76uKW7FdvoCFncRLIVsK9iLCnaa79damJW5aTJlgagKbh_oVyAaQ98dhePR3cH1DMEiloa-iY1c50vCKd0-yLjWAIOUor0XgRyA6w9M9TdmxzXxcea8F5OKn8U/s320/13092009061.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381676021222259874" border="0" /></a>
<br /><strong></strong><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 10"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CShuku%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="date"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} span.yshortcuts {mso-style-name:yshortcuts;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);"></span></strong><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:8;color:black;" >Web posted at: </span><st1:date year="2009" day="12" month="9"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:8;color:black;" >9/12/2009</span></st1:date><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:8;color:black;" > 2:20:32
<br />Source ::: The PENINSULA / BY SATISH KANADY </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:city><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >DOHA</span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >: Breaking its prolonged silence on reports of the suspension of </span><st1:country-region><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >Qatar</span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >’s prestigious Doha Expressway project and the consequent legal battle with its ‘client’, German construction major <span class="yshortcuts"><b><span style="cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial; background-attachment: scroll;" id="lw_1253019068_0">Bilfinger Berger</span></b></span> on Wednesday said it was expecting the termination of the multi-million riyal contract for the highway. </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >“Despite interventions at the highest level, the client is not willing to settle outstanding debts running into the triple digit million euros,” Bilfinger said in its new earnings outlook posted on its website. </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >Bilfinger has put the blame on its ‘client’ for the undue delay in the completion of the prestigious project. Public Works Authority’s (Ashghal) two major road projects have run into trouble due to disputes with contracting companies. </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >The project has been suffering major disruptions and delays for which the client is responsible. For this reason, <u>the construction period has more than doubled from the original 24 months</u>. The client has already accepted responsibility for a 21-month extension of the construction period, Bilfinger said. </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >Bilfinger said that it has serious disputes with its ‘client’ about the payment and some of the disputes are before the courts. </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >“The client is now attempting to avoid the financial obligations by terminating the contract,”it said. </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >The German company is expecting a prolonged legal dispute in Qatari courts. The project uncertainty has hit Bilfinger so hard that it was forced to cut its full-year profit forecast by at least $145m. It reduced its forecast for earnings before interest and taxes this year to a range of ¤210m to ¤230m against the previous forecast of ¤250m, the company’s new earnings forecast said. </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >“Earlier Wednesday, Bilfinger Berger issued a full-year 2009 <span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer;" id="lw_1253019068_1">profit warning</span></span>, citing the expected contract termination due to a legal dispute with the client. It lowered its earnings before interest and taxes forecast to between ¤210m and ¤230m from ¤250m previously,” reports in the international media said. </span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqxQwYvYjME5atW5JUcF9qY6OUw61072n8s7hlP-vQteI2nSYI6syOoEYhxqV8Baa6b44LXiEE9BVM_MDtj66RC5PenfmHJs2gsockUelFBuBywn8pY70Ov67JcCRU10OQ7X8mmQc0EH_/s1600-h/13092009063.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFqxQwYvYjME5atW5JUcF9qY6OUw61072n8s7hlP-vQteI2nSYI6syOoEYhxqV8Baa6b44LXiEE9BVM_MDtj66RC5PenfmHJs2gsockUelFBuBywn8pY70Ov67JcCRU10OQ7X8mmQc0EH_/s320/13092009063.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381674981499314914" border="0" /></a><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >The Doha Expressway project is part of the road development programme which aims to connect north of </span><st1:city><st1:place><span class="yshortcuts"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" ><span id="lw_1253019068_2">Doha</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:city><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > with the south and east with west. </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><st1:country-region><st1:place><span class="yshortcuts"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" ><span style="cursor: pointer;" id="lw_1253019068_3">Qatar</span></span></span></st1:place></st1:country-region><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >’s another multi-million road project is also caught in a legal quagmire. <strong><span style="font-family:Arial;">Ashghal has reportedly slapped a lawsuit on a <u>Malaysia-based company</u>, an <u>international consulting company</u> and an <u>insurance company</u> in </span></strong></span><st1:country-region><st1:place><strong><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >Qatar</span></strong></st1:place></st1:country-region><strong><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >, seeking damages in connection with the Salwa road project. </span></strong><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >While the <span class="yshortcuts"><span style="cursor: pointer;" id="lw_1253019068_4">construction company</span></span> alleges that Ashghal has stopped payments to the tune of millions of riyals even after issuing the <span class="yshortcuts"><span id="lw_1253019068_5">certificate of completion</span></span>, an expert panel set up by Ashghal found that the construction quality was not up to the Qatari specification.</span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > THE </span><st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" >PENINSULA</span></st1:place><span style=";font-family:Arial;font-size:9;color:black;" > </span><o:p></o:p></p> <span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:12;color:black;" ><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:12;color:black;" ></span></span>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-83837512859563219392009-09-09T23:58:00.000-07:002009-09-10T00:02:09.265-07:00Work on Expressway project ‘suspended’<div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">A Doha Expressway project worksite. PICTURE: Nousahd Thekkayil<br /><br />By Sarmad Qazi The contract of a major road developer working on the ambitious Doha Expressway project has been terminated by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal), sources said yesterday.<br /><br />The source said work by Germany-based Bilfinger-Berger, the main contractor of the Doha Expressway/22 February Street has been halted as well.<br /><br />While no one could be reached at the company, whose listed telephone lines are never picked up, an official at the Doha Expressway Project office at the Ashghal yesterday did not deny the news when requested for a confirmation.<br /><br />Earlier, on August 12, reports in the Arabic press said that the work on the project had been suspended due to a dispute between Ashghal and Bilfinger-Berger. The reports attributed the dispute to payments. <br /><br />The Doha Expressway project is part of the road development programme which aims to connect north of Doha with the south and east with west. The 22 February Interchange (Packages 1 & 2) is part of the overall QR8bn Doha Expressway project which includes 12 other packages.<br /><br />The current status of the project can best be categorised as still under execution after it was supposed to be completed in Q2 of 2008. It was now expected to be completed in March 2010. <br /><br />Phases I and II of the project, work on which was ongoing includes development of a main highway from the Immigration intersection to the Midmac intersection including service roads, infrastructure and landscaping works, construction of 4 main interchanges Omar bin Khatab, Al Rayyan (Jaida roundabout), Juaan and Al Sadd (an extension of the Al Sadd street).<br /><br />The scope of work included for the contractor included construction of a 6km highway including 3 lane dual carriageway, crossovers, underpasses and 4 grade separated interchanges.</div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-33897775394482207062009-08-12T02:53:00.000-07:002009-08-12T03:01:33.430-07:00Salwa Road project<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhmLlPRGuR7ZZStMN9LfFFPjSldHRHB12V1WmsOx1RJYo1HmXUtzXKp4PPDe2bARXPDEW2X4TG9GsWNr1BFyaPK4cIfYobjTHjsdcFUBuqk7hl-iQZKn3kOwgMdXrpjmEewLH50ufvmZx7/s1600-h/Photo10.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; 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Malaysia-based UEM, the major contractor for the 81km project, work on which started in 2003, said it was in a precarious situation as non-payment of dues by Ashghal meant that it was unable to pay its own sub-contractors for months.The four-lane (on each side) Salwa International Highway, which was completed in December, 2008, includes 15 intersections with facilities for emergency parking and service lanes. “We were issued a certificate of completion of work by Ashghal in January 2009, after we completed the work in December 2008. Despite this, the authority has not released hundreds of millions of riyals to us in payments. Ashghal has in fact filed a court case,” an official said on condition of anonymity. Ashghal filed a lawsuit seeking damages, reportedly about QR878.3mn, against design consulting engineer Parson International Ltd, UEM and Qatar Insurance Company over the project. “UEM has been named the second defendant in the case, even though we simply carried out work as per the design. The legal recourse is essentially against the design consultant, yet our assets were frozen,” the official said. According to sources close to the project, at least 55km (in separate stretches) of the southbound part of the highway developed rutting soon after work was finished in 2006, leading to friction between Ashghal and UEM.The contractor maintained that there was a design discrepancy and it was just carrying out the design given to it by the design consultant. “Basically you had a four-lane highway, where you wanted to keep the last two lanes with just some new coating. This caused damages and the folly in the idea was exposed,” the source said. The damage only occurred to the lane 3 and lane 4 which was filled with rocks and covered by new asphalt, as opposed to the complete building of lane 1 and lane 2. Ostensibly, fearing delays Ashghal renegotiated the remaining project, as well as fixing of the bad stretch with UEM who maintains it resumed work “in good faith and to move forward”.“When the client calls you and tells you lets move forward from here after renegotiating, you continue work in good faith. But soon after you finish the project, you are told that you are being sued for the previous dispute. And that too a dispute not directly caused by us. That’s bizarre,” the source said.Ashghal’s own March 2007 newsletter (Volume 6, page 3) article on the project notes: “The beautification works on the highway, which was started in 2001, turned out to be a failure – a matter that needed urgent interference. An international company responsible for designing the highway undertook the project. However, the designing was not properly reviewed by the concerned authority of that period. After winning tender, the Malaysian company started executing the contract in 2003. For the next nine months, the project did not record any considerable progress. During the rainfall last December, some gutters and pits appeared on all the three lanes of the road along 55km proceeding from Doha towards Abu Samra (the border).“…the Ashghal committee report has clearly pointed out the faults and problems in the design of the project. The consultant has designed the project based on measurements beyond the standards and specifications of Qatar,” the article added. Efforts to solicit a response from Ashghal were unsuccessful.</div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2239682000654165266.post-23734810678534685522009-08-08T03:12:00.000-07:002009-08-08T03:15:32.697-07:00Dispute halts February 22 road project<div align="justify">Dispute halts February 22 road project Web posted at: 8/7/2009 2:25:15Source ::: THE PENINSULA<br /><span style="font-size:130%;">February 22 road project which is part of the new Doha Expressway venture.</span><br /><br />DOHA: A financial dispute between the Public Works Authority (Ashghal) and a German contracting company has led to the halt in the ongoing February 22 road project which is part of the new Doha Expressway venture.<br />According to Al Sharq, the German company (Bilfinger Berger) left the work midway in March this year claiming QR600m from Ashghal.<br /><br />The stretch of road involved in the dispute is between the Immigration roundabout and Al Assiri near the Midmac flyover on the D-Ring Road. Ironically, the road work was abandoned after 80 percent of it was already over.<br />The daily said that due to halt in the road work, the German contractors have laid off at least 1,000 workers and are left only with another 1,000. “They had a total of 2,000 workers.”<br /><br />The company has also not paid dues to its sub-contractors and suppliers and owe them something like QR47m in arrears. Ashghal said earlier it owed only QR350m to the German company and later reduced this amount to QR200m, triggering a dispute. According to the daily, there does not seem to be an end to the dispute so the chances of the road work resuming are remote as of now. </div>SOmeonehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09565536479318403779noreply@blogger.com0