Emergency repair works on the Old Kapuri Bridge in Juba are expected to take another two months to complete, following recent flooding that disrupted movement between Kapuri and the capital.
A site inspection conducted on Thursday found that five of the six planned heavy-duty steel girders had been installed, aligned and anchored between the bridge’s masonry abutment and central pier.
According to an inspection report dated October 23, construction crews are preparing to install the final girder and complete the cross-bracing works.
The report says the Ministry of Roads and Bridges is working with the main contractor’s engineering team to accelerate construction ahead of a limited window of favourable weather conditions.
The emergency repairs aim to restore the bridge’s structural capacity and support traffic movement along the diversion route. However, the report does not specify whether the crossing will remain open throughout the remaining construction period.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Roads and Bridges signed a design-and-build contract with Connect Africa Limited for the construction and completion of Kapuri Bridge.
The development follows recent flooding that submerged the temporary crossing, disrupting travel between Kapuri and Juba and leaving schoolchildren, workers and other travellers stranded on both sides.
Oketayot Santo, a Kapuri resident, told Eye Radio that rising water levels following heavy overnight rains on Wednesday and Thursday made crossing unsafe for pedestrians and vehicles.
Santo said the disruption prevented him from travelling to work, while schoolchildren and other residents struggled to reach their destinations.
He warned that attempting to cross the fast-flowing water could endanger lives and damage vehicles.
The resident said the original bridge had been damaged and later dismantled, leaving residents dependent on a temporary crossing constructed by the Ministry of Roads and Bridges.
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