Chambeshi Railway Bridge: Difference between revisions
Chalochatu (talk | contribs) No edit summary Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
Chalochatu (talk | contribs) Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
The bridge was later reconstructed and relocated from its original spot on the Chambeshi River. The reconstruction was undertaken by Chinese engineers and took about one year to complete the work. | The bridge was later reconstructed and relocated from its original spot on the Chambeshi River. The reconstruction was undertaken by Chinese engineers and took about one year to complete the work. | ||
In 2022 | ==Recent repairs== | ||
In March 2020, the bridge was closed to traffic at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. On 24 February 2022 TAZARA announced it had signed a contract with Jianngsu Gold Civil Construction Company Limited for the repair of the bridge at a cost of USD1.6 million.<ref>[https://www.tazarasite.com/repairs-chambeshi-railway-bridge-start Repairs of Chambeshi Railway Bridge to start], 24 February, TAZARA</ref> | |||
On 16 September 2022, TAZARA announced the re-opening of the bridge and traffic between Zambia and Tanzania resumed.<ref>[https://www.tazarasite.com/chambeshi-railway-bridge-now-open-traffic Chambeshi Railway Bridge now open to traffic], 16 September 2022, TAZARA</ref> | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 04:33, 10 February 2023
Chambeshi Bridge is located on Chabeshi River in Kanchibiya District in Muchinga Province of Zambia.
History
On 11 October 1979 around 19:00, the bridge was bombed by the Southern Rhodesian (now Zimbabwe) army under the command of prime minister Ian Smith. The planted bombs detonated minutes after a south-bound Tanzania-Zambia Railways (TAZARA) passenger train traveling from Nakonde to Kapiri-Mposhi had passed. The bridge was bombed in an effort to preempt a raid that was allegedly being planned by Southern Rhodesian rebels hosted in Zambia to overthrow the colonial government in Zimbabwe.
The train was driven by Evelyn Mwansa, the first female locomotive driver in Zambia. She claimed to have had prior premonitions that the bridge would be bombed and increased the speed past the bridge on that fateful evening, probably saving hundreds of lives. She was later honoured by Zambia’s President H.E Michael Sata.
Reconstruction
The bridge was later reconstructed and relocated from its original spot on the Chambeshi River. The reconstruction was undertaken by Chinese engineers and took about one year to complete the work.
Recent repairs
In March 2020, the bridge was closed to traffic at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. On 24 February 2022 TAZARA announced it had signed a contract with Jianngsu Gold Civil Construction Company Limited for the repair of the bridge at a cost of USD1.6 million.[1]
On 16 September 2022, TAZARA announced the re-opening of the bridge and traffic between Zambia and Tanzania resumed.[2]
References
- ↑ Repairs of Chambeshi Railway Bridge to start, 24 February, TAZARA
- ↑ Chambeshi Railway Bridge now open to traffic, 16 September 2022, TAZARA
