Less than two years after undergoing a revamp, Qatar’s Corniche is once again being repaired after what some critics are calling a shoddy construction job.
In a statement this week, Ashghal said it found damage to the top layer of asphalt on several parts of the Corniche, from the post office to the National Theater.
The public works authority said the contractor responsible for laying the asphalt in the first place would be replacing it over the next few days.
Speaking to Al Sharq, Central Municipal Council (CMC) member Abdullah Al Sulaiti cited a lack of loyalty from foreign companies as a major cause of quality control issues in Qatar.
However, though Ashghal did not name the contractor responsible for the asphalt damage, many of the companies involved on the Corniche overhaul project appear to be locally-based.
Penalties
Al Sulaiti also called on Ashghal to fine and blacklist companies that fail to meet quality control standards.
The idea of penalizing firms that don’t adhere to their contracts is one the authority has been discussing for months.
In April, an Ashghal official told the CMC that the organization was considering introducing fines as a way to keep projects on schedule and reduce the public impact of having so many dug-up roads in Qatar.
In 2013 and 2014, pieces of the $55 million Corniche overhaul, which included the conversion of several roundabouts into signalized junctions, were actually completed ahead of schedule, to the delight of motorists frustrated by construction-related delays.
But that deadline pressure may have contributed to the final product’s quality control issues, said CMC member Mohamed Dhafir Al Hajri.
“Such mistakes are bound to happen due to a variety of reasons. Sometimes there may be a hurry to finish a project in time,” Al Hajri told Al Sharq.
According to Ashghal, work on the Corniche will continue until Sunday, Aug. 9.
Thoughts?
So bad indeed
If you want to know the problem search for subcontractors, these big companies take contracts from government for 500 million and sell it to a subcontract for 100 million and this is the result!
That should be illegal without the consent of the client.
Will no body know and no body care
Successful construction projects have adequate supervision and constant testing by both the Client and the Contractor to ensure quality, including (for roads and airfields) the laying of a preliminary trial strip away from the site and a trial strip on site to ensure that the contractor can achieve the quality. But if that regime isn’t in place then standards will inevitably drop and the Client (Ashgal) will be as culpable as the contractor.
I could also bore you with the technical mistakes they make when laying roads here, but suffice to say that just about every joint between adjacently laid mats of topcoat is a guaranteed maintenance problem..
every contract is price driven over quality – and this is what you get… Ashghal are culpable in this failure, as are the decision makers who repeatedly drive down tenders and accept the lowest
Hassle!!! I thought it was already a long term solution.
Sorry to say , but I cant able to read the contents in the “Map of repair sites” pic given !!!
“Speaking to Al Sharq, Central Municipal Council (CMC) member Abdullah Al Sulaiti cited a lack of loyalty from foreign companies as a major cause of quality control issues in Qatar.” This statement makes me laugh. The way the government treats ALL expats, how could there be ANY hope of loyalty?
Yeah, but they paid – an enormous amount of – a lot of – Good – sufficient – some – OK, a bit of good money for that loyalty!
What makes me laugh is that every foreign company has a sponsor. He is not blamed as well or held accountable?
Now what do you mean by saying “the way the government treats ALL expats” heh!
Lol yeah! I was like WHAATTTT?!!
Well then get yourself a contractor with home-raised labourers!
You know what? If you want loyalty for the work then award it based on merit and track record of the company not based on whose relative is the sponsor of that company.
And what were Asghal Engineers doing when they approved and signed off on the deliverable?
Problems happen and its the system which has to continually improve and adapt to tighten the loose ends. Sadly that doesn’t happen rigorously here.
Here is the better picture of “Map of repair sites”
Local contractors did this work, won by influence. Ashghal standards require sand compacting as part of footwork paving, any of you driving past will see this this didn’t happen, and even just the footpaths have started caving in. Look at any of the intersections, especially West Bay end. Until Asghal start enforcing contracts (penalties) and contractors start respecting this (they just refuse to pay penalties), expect pee poor physical results. Wasta doesn’t only influence speed infringements.
until Ashghal start vetting contracts that price the quality of work, not the cheapest cost, this will always be the result – you pay peanuts, you get monkeys !
“Al Sulaiti also called on Ashghal to fine and blacklist companies that fail to meet quality control standards.”
How about doing your job as the client? It is your responsibility to check and sign off the work as complete and in accordance with the contract.
Why is it always someone else’s fault in Qatar, no one ever takes responsibility.
Taking responsibility means that you have to operate to high professional and ethical standards …
Yep, you can’t have one without the other, othewise you would look like an idiot…. so best not to take responsiblity and blame someone else…..
It is Ashghal’s responsibility to quality control the work they sign off on. Simple as that.
They don’t mention that this is a systemic issue essentially. The biggest complaint contractors have is that they are not given access to the amount of labour needed for such large projects. The government should make it a little easier for contractors to get the visas and skilled labour needed for these projects. Then you may see them completing the projects closer to the timeline and not doing rush jobs to meet deadlines (which will ensure quality). However, those of us in the industry know that very rarely does a project finish on schedule, especially in Qatar.