Qatar, UAE: The Centre for Geographical Information System (GIS) installed Radio-frequency identification (RFID) equipped number plates on 90 percent of buildings in Qatar. In an interview with local Arabic daily Al-Arab, GIS officials indicated that 85,000 new number plates have already been installed in different areas around the country.
The new plaques include all the related numbers and data of the building and are directly linked with the GIS data base. The RFID chips can be read through personal digital assistance (PDA) appliances. These employ information safety standards to avoid any misuse.
Officials explained that this numbering system would make buildings easily accessible for private and public services as well as individuals.
There is already a co-ordination with Qatar General Postal Corporation (Q-Post) to employ this system and use the numbers in delivering mail to homes.
The address would be only the numbers of the house, street and the area. The experimental phase of this project would include parts of the West Bay and Al-Hilal area.
Anybody could access GIS services through GIS website, www.gisqatar.org.qa by using one of two programmes: Explore Qatar or Q-land, where all building numbers have been updated. The user could enter the three main numbers of the building (building, street and area) and search for it. Immediately, the location of the place in question would appear on the updated map of Qatar with the routes leading to it.
Two new applications have been recently launched by GIS: Qatar Geoportal, an online programme, which can be accessed by all and contains all the information about the unified numbering for buildings project, and information about more than 3,500 geographical locations and around 6,000 sites around the country.
The other application is Al-Murshid (The guide), which is a programme for tablets and smart phones. Users can use it in locating any destination in Qatar and the way to reach it.
Source: Gulf Times
