Long Bien Bridge, an iconic structure in the Vietnamese capital needs to have more funding for annual maintenance.(Photo: VNA)Le Hoang Minh,Director of the Transport Infrastructure Department at the Ministry ofTransport, said that through inspection, the department noted that the bridge’smaintenance management unit, the Ha Hai Railway Joint Stock Company, stillensured safety amid funding difficulties.
“However, the department also has asked the management units to immediatelyreinforce the railings, fix potholes, and install warning signs so that peopleknow the current status of the bridge,” he said.
Regarding thefunding for maintenance this year, said "the ministry will give priorityto funding for the Long Bien Bridge right after the budget estimate isfinalised between the Ministry of Transport and Vietnam Railway Corporation.”
“Every year,the State budget still provides funding for maintenance at the highest levelpossible, to ensure safety for people," Minh said.
Particularly,the road surface was cracked, causing problems for traffic, Minh said, althoughthe bridge’s management unit has regularly maintained the surface to ensuretraffic safety.
The currentbridge was also very weak, so the construction of the concrete surface wasdifficult as workers are not able to use specialised vehicles.
“Our workershave to repair the bridge surface manually, leading to a decrease in thedurability of the road.”
Minh saidthat in order to repair and maintain Long Bien Bridge, it was necessary to havea large budget.
"Forexample, just repainting the entire bridge needs funding up to 70 billion VND (3million USD)."
"Currently,the bridge maintenance is still using the money of the railway industry, withlimited funds, so the bridge cannot be clearly improved."
Arepresentative of the Vietnam Railway Corporation (VNR) said that after nearly120 years of operation, due to bombing during the American War and the speed ofurbanisation, the bridge has become seriously degraded.
The VNR has been assigned by the Ministry of Transport to implement projects toreinforce and repair the bridge.
Every year,VNR still prioritises funding from capital sources for regular maintenance ofminor damage.
He admittedthat funding for national railway maintenance was limited, only meeting about36 percent of actual repair needs.
Phan TienDung, Deputy Head of the Infrastructure Division, VNR, said in advance of thedeterioration of the bridge, VNR sent a telegram to request the Ha Hai RailwayJoint Stock Company to have immediate temporary solutions.
Specifically,for all minor failures, this unit needs to check and include them in the 2021maintenance plan.
The VNR hasasked the management unit to use its funds to prioritise repairing the damageon the bridge surface, and installing warning signs at the two ends of thebridge, he said.
In additionto annual funding for repairs, the government and relevant ministries have toset up a separate project to repair the bridge in the form of an overhaul,according to Dung.
Long BienBridge was built between 1899 and 1902, by French architects Daydé & Pilléand opened in 1903.
Before Vietnam’sindependence in 1945, it was called Paul Doumer Bridge, named after the thenGovernor-General of French Indochina./.
VNA
