Maputo, 2 Nov (AIM) – Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi inaugurated on Wednesday a bridge over the Save River, the conventional boundary between southern and central Mozambique, budgeted at about 5.6 billion meticais (88 million dollars, at the current exchange rate).
The bridge was baptized the 6 August Bridge, referring to the date, in 2019, when Nyusi and Ossufo Momade, the leader of Renamo, the largest opposition party in the country, signed the peace agreement paving the way to the demobilization and disarmament of the Renamo militia. The new bridge was entirely funded by the Mozambican State Budget.
The president also re-inaugurated at the same place the old bridge over the Save which had been strengthened, as part of the project to guarantee the country’s connection via the main north-south highway (EN1) and to tackle climate change.
The old bridge was designed under colonial rule in the 1960s, and inaugurated on 16 September 1972. 50 years later the bridge was clearly deteriorating, and the authorities reduced the weight limit for trucks using the bridge from 50 to 30 tonnes.
This caused road haulage companies serious problems, since they had to reduce their cargo before crossing the bridge, with all the additional costs in time and money which that implied.
The new bridge can carry trucks of up to 50 tonnes. It is about 1,000 meters long and 13.5 meters wide and is designed for all types of vehicles, As from now, the old bridge will be reserved for light vehicles.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Nyusi said that the construction of a new bridge over the Save River and the rehabilitation of the old one will boost the national economy.
“With the conclusion of the construction work on the new bridge over the Save and the rehabilitation of the old one, the continuous flow of traffic over the river is assured”, he said.
Nyusi also announced plans for the construction of another bridge over the Save, near the Zimbabwean border. While the current bridges link Inhambane and Sofala provinces, the planned bridge, much further west, will link Massingir district in Gaza province to Mussurize and Machaze districts in Manica.
He added that the construction of this bridge is also in line with the Mozambican government’s strategy of creating an alternative road to the EN1.
The new bridge over the Save was built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC), which was also responsible for building the Maputo/Ka Tembe suspension bridge and the Maputo Ring Road.
(AIM)
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