Transport Minister Jacob Hara has said Chapananga Bridge on Mwanza River in Chikwawa is intact and that authorities have devised plans to make it usable again.
The bridge had both sides of its embankments eroded when Cyclone Ana hit Malawi and since then it has not been used.
Following the erosion of the embankments, people are being forced to cross the river on foot.
But in an interview on Tuesday, Hara said authorities will do what is technically called river training so that it follows the right course.
In engineering, river training works encompass different structures constructed for stabilising a river channel in a certain alignment and cross-section.
- Advertisement -
According to Hara, there is a big problem that was caused by the change of course of the river.
He admitted that river training is an expensive undertaking but that it has to be done.
“Like I said the other time, the location of the bridge was not properly chosen. We are maintaining the same location, but it is going to be costly,” Hara said.
According to Hara, a contractor must be on site by now.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -
The 180 metres bridge was constructed by Plem Construction and was completed on October 31 2018 and commissioned on May 16 2019.
Plem Construction Director Gangadhar Radhakrishnan Nair said the bridge had design shortfalls noting that, initially, it was designed to span 90 meters across the river.
“During construction, we were directed to extend it to 180 meters, which we did.
“However, the riverbank at this location actually spans 400 metres, so the bridge should have been designed for that length. As a result, the bridge approaches are constructed in the riverbank,” Nair said.
Nair agreed with Hara that river training could be the solution to the current situation.
