The Engineering Institution of Zambia says it has learnt with serious concern the wash away of the Chipata to Lundazi Road over the Msuzi River near Lundazi in Eastern Province.
The river crossing was a corrugated metal culvert structure built over forty years ago.
The EIZ notes that this event is a repeat of many wash away of the road infrastructure countrywide that takes place every rainy season others being the Batoka to Maamba Road in Southern Province and the Kawambwa to Mbereshi Road in Luapula Province.
In a statement issued by its Communications Unit, the EIZ said such infrastructure is typically very old structures built many decades in the past.
It said while it commends the efforts of all parties involved in mitigating the impact of such events, it has emphasized the need for increased investment in physical infrastructure as well as in the resourcing of the maintenance and care of road infrastructure.
The Engineering Institution of Zambia says it sees increased investment in the upgrade of the hydraulic structure as the long-term solution to the current problem and is critical if the impact of climate change is to be adequately managed.
The Institution says it is however pleased that the Road Development Agency has taken the lead in this response by embarking on the process of reviewing Design Standards in response to the impact of climate change.
It said this effort must be supplemented by the appropriate capital investment adding that the enhancing of national capability in the maintenance and care of such infrastructure is another area that is integral part of the solution.
The Institution emphasised that this area needs significant investment to assure sustainability in the care and maintenance of the infrastructure.
Hot air as usual from EIZ
You need to manage the assets long term by having short and long term inspections with follow-up recommendations on maintenance. Without this, the life spans of the assets will be severely compromised. The least you could do is maintain them if you cannot build them
This looks like a recently built road. EIZ should be castigating the Consulting Engineer for the Project, otherwise just keep quiet.