GIS and Qatar's Physical
Development Plan (PDP)
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Ahmed Dhabit Al-Dowsari
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Abstract : |
Rapid urban growth experienced by the State of Qatar during the past few decades coupled with the lack of effective and coordinated planning resulted in several problems such as urban sprawl, traffic congestion and improper spatial allocation and distribution of public facilities and infrastructure. This situation called for immediate and effective steps to control and guide physical growth and coordinated provision of infrastructure and public facilities so as to achieve high quality living environment for the people of the country while rationalizing government expenditure. The present rapid pace of physical development is expected to continue due to the recent discovery and exploitation of the country's natural gas reserves. It is in this context that the Planning Department of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture realized the need for a state-of-art physical development through the 21st century.
The Physical Development Plan for the State of Qatar (PDP) project was carried out by planning department in collobration with American consulting firms. The aim of the PDP is to establish a comprehensive planning framework for the country's long-range physical development up to the year 2020. The PDP addresses the country's physical planning needs at four geographic levels, providing an integrated planning hierarchy that addresses planning issues from the broadest level (i.e. the national level) to the most detailed, specific level (i.e. of attention and detail in areas where planning issues are more complex and specialized policy or design solutions are warranted. However, all levels of the PDP hierarchy are integrated within a single, national land use planning system. This GIS-based system ensures a consistent planning approach throughout the country while allowing the flexibility necessary to meet localized planning needs.
The PDP's usability and effectiveness is in its implementation within the State of Qatar's Geographic Information System as implemented through the CGIS. As a GIS based planning tool, the PDP has been formulated to maximize the electronic search, retrieval and analysis features of the GIS. The usability of this data structure relies to a large degree on the GIS' ability to link and interrelate both spatial and nonspatial data within a single integrated system. While the PDP may still be used as a paper based system, its usability will be greatly enhanced within the electronic medium. The country's nationwide GIS and "GISnet", the fiber optic network that links its many governmental agencies, provides ability for the concerned government departments to have access to the updated plan information. The plan is expected to provide the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture and other government agencies with an effective tool, which is dynamic and flexible in nature due to its GIS base, that will guide and direct physical development in the country and ensure efficient utilization of available resources to achieve healthy and sustainable physical environment for the citizens of Qatar.
In this paper an attempt is made to give general overview of the PDP highlighting the role of GIS in its preparation and future implementation.
Ahmed Dhabit Al-Dowsari - Profile :
Mr. Al-Dowsari studied in the United States, earning his Bachelor degree from the California State University at Sonoma in 1985 and his Masters Degree from the California Polytechnic University in San Louis Obispo.
He worked as a City Planner in the Planning Section of MMAA's Planning Department from 1985 to 1990. From 1990 to 1993, he was Head of the Planning Section and from 1993 until 1997, he was the Director of the Planning Department. He is currently the Assistant Under Secretary of the Planning Department.
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