Ninewa’s Directorate of Roads and Bridges rejected reports suggesting that work has been brought to a halt on the reconstruction of main bridges in Mosul, emphasizing that progress levels are on the rise within the directorate’s plans.
The damages inflicted on bridges linking Mosul’s east to the west have been representing a major setback to the return of normal life to the war-ravaged city.
Minor solutions for some of these bridges have failed to put end to resident’s daily suffering, particularly as most service departments are located on the eastern coast.
Local engineering teams engaged in rehabilitation of Mosul’s damaged bridges
Speaking to KirkukNow, Marwan Abdul-Razzaq, media director at the Roads and Bridges Directorate said, “The Second Bridge (also called Hurriya Bridge) is under repair, with teams working on the consolidation of the bridge’s pillars by mortar injections as well as the pouring of concrete sections of the bridge’s ceiling.”
He added that the iron parts needed to rebuild Mosul bridges are being manufactured by specialized factories in Ninewa, Kirkuk and Baghdad.
Marwan Abdul-Razaq indicated that the bridge was scheduled for official reopening in early 2020, but “heavy rainfall has set back the project; therefore it is expected to be reopened by mid-2020.”
As for the Sanharib Bridge, Marwan Abdel Razzaq stated that the pedestrian path of the bridge is fully functional, while 90% of the motorway bridge is complete.”
Five main bridges over the Tigris link east and west Mosul, while smaller bridges span the Khosar River, which runs through eastern Mosul, including Muthanna, Sukar, al-Zuhoor, Swes and Sanharib as well as the Ottoman-era Qanatir Bridg.
Mosul’s Fourth Bridge
Meanwhile, Falah al-Azba, director of Rawa’at al-Ta’amir architectural company, said that the Swes Bridge in eastern Mosul “is being asphalted from both sides in Nabi Younis and Jami’a neighborhoods.”
He reaffirmed to KirkukNow that the inauguration of the Swes Bridge will be on November, 1st of this year. The project which has cost US$ 650 thousand is funded by UNDP.
Al-Azba added that “the reopening of the bridge will alleviate traffic congestion particularly with the start of the new school yea .”
Work continues on rebuilding of eastern Mosul’s Swes Bridge
The first bridge also called the Old Bridge was built in 1932, and was opened in 1934. The 305-meter-long bridge connects the Nasr and Maydan areas on both sides of the city. It is the only now fully functional bridge in the city; however the traffic load has made it extremely difficult and time-consuming for commuters to travel across this bridge. Also it cannot accommodate big trucks.
The city of Mosul is home to a population of 1.5 million. The city sustained heavy damage after IS militants wept across Ninewa. Thousands of buildings, mostly on the western side of the city are still in ruins.
