Measures taken by the Traffic Department ensured that vehicular flow remained smooth on key roads in Doha and other places Wednesday, when students returned to school in large numbers following the end of the summer vacation.
The department had put in place a plan to enhance the presence of traffic patrols across vital locations and roads in the country to ensure unhindered traffic flow, especially in areas (and at times) where high traffic density was anticipated.
Major Jaber Mohamed Odhaiba, assistant director of the traffic awareness department, said the traffic situation was normal Wednesday around the country, including on main roads and intersections, and there were no reports of traffic snarls throughout the day.
He attributed this to various factors, including the opening of new roads by the Public Works Authority (Ashghal).
The authority has accomplished around 500km of expressways until this month, helping link students living in the suburbs of Doha and facilitating better traffic movement within the capital as well through giving motorists more options (roads) to choose from.
In addition, several roundabouts that used to witness traffic congestion regularly have been converted into intersections, helping improved vehicular flow significantly.
The official said an important factor responsible for the smooth traffic circulation Wednesday was the large presence of traffic and security patrols across main streets and intersections in the country. The personnel deployed were duly prepared to prevent any congestion and maintain free-flowing traffic, particularly during the busy periods early in the morning and in the afternoon.
Besides, the authorities also intensified the presence of traffic patrols at key intersection and streets where road works were under way and traffic was heavy. The patrols also concentrated on newly opened schools and had an enhanced presence around them, especially those located in residential localities, in order to help parents reach the spot quickly and easily and guarantee the safe movement of students.
The official, however, noted that the traffic flow Wednesday might not be an accurate indicator of the situation in the coming days as the school day was short. Also, it is possible that not all students attended school on the opening day, he added.
Major Odhaiba stressed that the Traffic Department adjusts the duration of green signals at some key intersections in co-operation with Ashghal to allocate more time to vehicles moving in directions that experience heavy traffic.
The Traffic Department and Ministry of Interior had earlier issued safety advisories for students and their parents as part of the preparations for the new academic year.
Improving educational process top priority: minister
HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohamed bin Abdulwahed al-Hammadi has stressed that improving the efficiency of the educational process is the top priority of the ministry, which is seeking to achieve the same through a number of policies, programmes and strategies, QNA reports.
The observation was made during HE the Minister's speech at a reception ceremony held by the ministry Wednesday to welcome new Qatari teachers who begin their first year of teaching in the 2018/2019 academic year. There are a total of 84 such teachers.
He congratulated the new Qatari teachers on their career, noting that they are helping the ministry build national capabilities after completing extensive national qualification programmes.