Emerged Railways Properties (ERP), which owns and manages the Victoria Falls Bridge, has said the bridge remains structurally safe and sound, reported The Herald.
ERP, a company owned by the National Railways of Zimbabwe and the Zambia Railways Limited (ZRL), built the bridge in 1905 with a life span of more than 200 years.
In a statement this week, ERP said that one of its mandates was to ensure the Victoria Falls Bridge was maintained in such a way that its structural integrity remained safe for usage for all approved purposes.
ERP said it ensures principal inspection is undertaken every five years and deliberately carried out by an international independent consultant. It said:
Based on the above, ERP now provides assurance to all stakeholders and users of the bridge that the facility remains structurally sound, safe and thus also economically viable.
The life expectancy of the bridge is in fact estimated at no less than 200 years from the year of construction in 1905 which implies that its life expectancy now still stands at well over 100 years, subject of course, to continuing the rigid maintenance regime which ERP ensures is implemented without deviation.
ERP said that the last inspection was undertaken in August 2022. It also said every year, a combined team of technical staff from key institutions including Zimbabwe’s roads department and the Roads Development Agency (RDA) of Zambia, health and safety experts, and security experts undertake an inspection of the bridge to ensure the structural integrity of the facility is confirmed. Reads the statement:
Finally, a qualified and experienced contractor undertakes the ongoing and quarterly maintenance of the bridge and regularly checks on the bridge’s structural and operational integrity.
The latest principal inspection was undertaken by Ramboll, a Denmark-based structural engineering firm and its report says “the Victoria Falls bridge is generally very healthy, and the current maintenance schedule is sufficient for securing the durability.”
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