By JAMES KUNDA –
REHABILITATION of the Kafue Hook Bridge, across the Kafue River in Western Province is set to resume soon at a cost of K147 million, the Road Development Agency (RDA) has said.
The project was being undertaken by China Henan International Cooperation Group company limited (CHICO) and the bridge is 270 metres long.
RDA board chairperson Samuel Mukupa said the bridge that was constructed in 1973 had weared and teared and deserved to be given a new lease of life due to it’s relevance in connecting Zambia to South-west Africa.
He said rehabilitation works on the facility were commissioned in October 2015 but delayed due to financial constraints.
RDA has only paid slightly more than K33 million of the K147 million.
“I am here to assure you that we are going to offset a huge chunk of the outstanding money within the first quarter of this year and come year end; this site will have a different story to tell,” Mr Mukupa told journalists after a tour of the facility yesterday.
CHICO Hook bridge project contract manager Li Songquan assured Mr Mukupa that the contractor was eager to resume works on site.
Works are envisaged to take only seven months upon resumption.
Meanwhile, Mr Mukupa took a swipe at staff of the Mumbwa toll gate for improper maintenance of the facility’s infrastructure.
He said this during a tour of the facility yesterday.
Mr Mukupa cautioned that the facility’s general manager, a Joshua mambwe who was in absenture, would be written to and admonished prior to an impending tour by the agency to ascertain whether or not the status quo had changed.