Hisham Aljundi
Doha
Now you can park your car easily and safely in the congested Souq area near the Al Ghanem bus station right in the heart of Doha, without worrying about shelter or parking space, or even a fee.
The newly opened parking lot by the Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (Kahramaa), which is adjacent to Fardan Tower, has provided enough parking spaces for commuters who often struggle to find suitable parking spot in the heavily-crowded area.
The service is totally free and serves all those working in the neighbouring banks or Souq, as well as customers who come to shop in the area. It can comfortably accommodate 270 vehicles and is fully-equipped with safety measures and facilities to ensure a safe and proper parking space.
But the two weeks old building has still not been well patronised because only few people who visit the area know about it.
Speaking to Qatar Tribune recently, a security guard who works at the parking lot said they hardly receive 10-15 vehicles all day long and attributes this to the lack of knowledge about this 24-hour parking lot.
According to him, Kahramaa has announced through all media outlets about this new and important building but not many know about the services it provides for free, and some might be under the impression that it requires paying fees so they prefer to park outside.
Some of the motorists who work in one of the neighbouring banks expressed happiness over the opening of the parking place.
"My office is located in this area and I have been working here for the last 10 years, I used to struggle every morning to find a space for my car but now this parking lot has solved this problem," said Muhannad, a bank officer.
Kahramaa built a power substation for the area and the 7-storey parking lot was built on top of it.