The proposed construction of the Botswana-Zambia Kazungula Bridge progressing well officials have announced.
Botswana’s Permanent Secretary Ministry of Transport and Communications, Neil Fitt and Zambia’s Acting Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works and Supply, Joe Kapembwa said construction of a temporary bridge on the Zambian side has been completed while the Botswana side will be completed in June.
Construction of the Kazunugla Bridge commenced in December 2014 at a cost of US$234 million.
Phase one comprises the construction of a 923-m-long rail/road bridge, while phase two involves construction of one-stop border post facilities and ramps on the Botswana side and the final phase involves construction of similar facilities and ramps on the Zambian side.
Phase one started in December 2014 and is expected to be completed in December 2018 while phase two is expected to commence this month. Phase three is due to begin in May 2016.
People especially tourists travelling between Zambia and Botswana have always found crossing the Zambezi River by pontoon at Kazungula a terrifying experience because of many accidents in which hundreds of people lost their lives when the pontoon capsized in the 1970s.
The project suffered a major setback in 2014 when President Sata, who initiated unprecedented infrastructural development projects across the country, died in November 2014.
