 has started work on the construction of the Lunzi bridge on the Chama-Lundazi road.){kind=link}
Zambia: The Road Development Agency (RDA) has started work on the construction of the Lunzi bridge on the Chama-Lundazi road. The construction project has been taken on as an emergency construction project.
The community has expressed their delight on the start of the construction project. Members believe that the project will help the people of the country in remaining safe and travel easily.
Many parts of Zambia are currently experiencing heavy rains and storms, which lead to infrastructure of the community, including roads to be destroyed. The Road Development Agency (RDA) has taken the initiative to rehabilitate the roads.
The emergency project was started after the approach road at Lunzi Bridge was washed away.
RDA Acting Director for Communications and Corporate Affairs, Anthony Mulowa shared the details of the project. According to him, a 15-metre section of the approach road to the vented drift on the Chama side has been washed away.
RDA Acting director Mulowa said the river weeds from heavy water current have blocked the pipe culverts. As a result, the water from the river has flooded the bridge.
The Acting Director for Communications and Corporate Affairs discussed their various measures to remedy the situation. The organization has taken measures of immediate intervention to stop the road from further damage.
Firstly, they will unblock the pipe culverts, allowing the water to flow out and be drained from the road.
He believes that this will help reduce the water levels at the cut-off section and pave the way for the construction of a diversion. The construction will help restore the flow of traffic in the community.
Mulowa said the team on site would then extend the existing vented drift. They plan to add more pipe culvert lines at the washed away section. He added that engineers are working around the clock on the rehabilitation of the bridge road. If weather permits continuous construction at this speed, the works on the diversion will be completed within five days.
The area experienced heavy rains for two days, from February 29 to March 1, 2024, which washed off the road. Afterwards, it was important to construct the road for the safety of the traffic users.