Demolition of Doha's 'business centre' to start soon

DOHA’S landscape will be changed forever when the delayed demolition of the capital’s ‘business centre’ located in the heart of the city begins next month.

According to Land Services officials at the Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA), the phased-demolition of the Mohammad bin Jassim Area, popularly known as Mushaireb, will begin in January, after the earlier date in September was missed.

The area includes the thriving shopping centre of Doha located on such legendary streets as Shara’a Kahraba, Shara’a Asmakh and Shara’a Abdulla bin Thani among many other interior roads that have housed hundreds of shops and thousands of residents.

“Work was supposed to start in 2006. But the area is so densely-populated, it’s been very difficult to execute the plan,” the UPDA official said.

Enterprises and residents in the area received the demolition notices some two years ago, linking the move to the Doha Asian Games. However, because of the magnitude of the project and its humanitarian aspect it was delayed giving way to speculations.

According to official sources, in the first phase, demolition will begin from the Al Diwan Signals and it is expected to be completed in April 2010, when the last brick will be cleared. Between next month and 2010, more areas surrounding the Qtel-signal and Arab Bank roundabout will be demolished in phases.

Currently, the shopkeepers in the area who have not found a suitable place elsewhere, have started liquidating their stocks. These shops sell everything from electronics to textiles to hardware.

“Everyone one has been duly compensated by the government. Every single one,” the official said.

According to him, the demolition will lead to adding of a new chapter to the city’s history “as the land will be given to Qatar Foundation, an institution that has attracted global attention for its educational and other equally important projects.”

The changeover, according to another UPDA official, “is difficult but because it’s for the better, it is good.”

When thickly populated areas such as Al Bidda, Rumailah and Umm Gaulina were demolished to give the city a new look some four years ago, residents of these areas had to look for alternative accommodation which often proved beyond the reach of many. Following this, many expatriates had sent their families home. Many still find the rentals of the newly-built residential complexes unaffordable.

An official map, showing the phased demolition of the ‘city centre’ was not made available to Gulf Times citing ‘legal reasons’.