Qatar Public Works Authority 'Ashghal' Selects IBM for Smarter Infrastructure

DOHA, Qatar, June 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Qatar Public Works Authority 'Ashghal' today announced that it has chosen IBM (NYSE: IBM) to provide a smarter road and drainage infrastructure in Qatar. The new system will enhance the quality of services, safety and environmental sustainability for citizens in the country. In line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, Ashghal and IBM will deploy an Enterprise Asset Management Solution (EAMS) to effectively manage the operation and maintenance of the country's roads and drainage networks and multiple effluent and water treatment plants.

The solution will enable Ashghal to rapidly evaluate and respond to defects or incidents reported by citizens and anticipate and prevent problems. Enabled through the use of mobile devices, Ashghal will be able to quickly plan work requirements, determine resource availability and ensure the right crew responds with the right materials and tools. The system will also gather and analyse millions of discrete pieces of information about the country's road and drainage assets through a Geographic Information System (GIS) to allow the location of assets or work to be determined and tracked in real time.

During the project kick-off meeting Ashghal's President, H.E. Eng. Nasser bin Ali Al Mawlawi said that the implementation of EAMS is a pivotal step towards enhancing and streamlining the services of Ashghal's roads and drainage operations and maintenance departments.

"Designed with a focus on customer centricity, the solution will help Ashghal to advance its asset management services with the organisation's overall business goals through a system that will guarantee lower asset failure frequency and ensure timely maintenance. With this advanced software, Ashghal will gain real time visibility into the country's asset usage and, better govern and manage the lifecycle of road and drainage networks to achieve higher returns on national investment," he added.

The ability to draw from multiple sources across Qatar will also provide better insight into the condition of pipes buried deep underground in specific locations and the road network. This will help reduce the frequency of maintenance interventions, which in turn will help reduce traffic congestion and increase public safety. It will ensure the road and drainage systems are safer and environmentally sustainable.

With a total land area of approximately 11,500 square kilometers and a population of 2.2 million, the State of Qatar has experienced rapid economic growth over the last several years. This economic growth has resulted in increased demand for government entities in Qatar to provide a world-class infrastructure. IBM opened an office in Qatar in April 2012 as part of the company's expansion in the Middle East to meet the growing needs of customers in the region.

"Building a smarter infrastructure is the foundation to establishing a smarter economy. Citizens are also placing increasing demands on their leaders to innovate and progress. The roll out of the Enterprise Asset Management Solution is a key demonstration of how Ashghal is already executing on Qatar's journey to a smarter economy leveraging Smart City concepts and enhancing citizen services." says Amr Refaat, General Manager, IBM Middle East and Pakistan.

Based on IBM's Maximo Asset Management Software, the solution will transform the way road and drainage asset data, maintenance work, and ultimately customer services are managed within the Authority's Asset Affairs operations.

For road operations and maintenance, the system will provide Ashghal the ability to manage a network of assets according to their features, attributes and relationship. It will help optimise the lifecycle of these assets by promoting a proactive approach to maintenance based on actual conditions determined by surveys or integrated control systems associated with each asset. In addition, the system will provide a central source for all asset and maintenance records, to help Ashghal make better decisions on when to refurbish, renew, retire or replace assets.

Designed to integrate with Ashghal's existing enterprise information systems such as Customer Relationship Management System (CRMS) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), the aim of the new solution is to improve the organisation's operational effectiveness by consolidating Ashghal's asset operations and maintenance into a single integrated system.

About IBM Smarter Cities: http://www.ibm.com/smarterplanet/ae/en/smarter_cities/overview/

About Public Works Authority 'Ashghal':

Established in 2004, the Public Works Authority 'Ashghal' governs the design, procurement, construction, delivery and assets management of all infrastructure projects and public buildings of national importance in Qatar.

With a mission to deliver and manage world-class sustainable infrastructure that fulfill the Qatar National Vision 2030, Ashghal is implementing nationwide programmes within the next five to seven years including the Expressway Programme, Local Roads and Drainage Programme, and the Inner Doha Re-sewerage Implementation Strategy (IDRIS) to create a sustainable infrastructure for the benefit of the nation, its citizens, and residents.

IBM Media Contact:

Jumana Akkawi
External Relations Leader, IBM Middle East
Direct: +971 4 4498353
Email: [email protected]

Holli Haswell
External Relations, IBM Smarter Cities
720-396-5485
Email: [email protected]

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SOURCE IBM

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