The Federal Ministry of Works and the Julius Berger Nigeria PLC have commenced investigations into the technical structure of overhead bridges in Lagos with a view to saving them from possible collapse.
Our correspondent sighted engineers from the ministry led by the Controller of works in the state, Mr. Babatunde Ekunsumi, and those of the German firm, working on the Third Mainland Bridge on Friday.
The exercise, which will last six weeks, is on the orders of the Minister for Works, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, following fears being expressed by experts over the vibration of the bridges and the eventual rumour of its collapse two weeks ago.
Adebayo had admitted that an urgent action must be taken to address the embarrassing vibration of the bridges, especially when no maintenance was carried out on any of them in the last 10years.
Ekunsumi told our correspndent that the investigation became necessary to allay the fears of the people and to ensure that necessary repairs were undertaken.
The controller said the bridge could not collapse because others before it were still strong but said the cause of its vibration must be ascertained and corrected.
He said the engineers on arrival, were taken round all the overhead bridges in Lagos to carry out a thorough investigation so that they could do a good job.
Our correspondent noted on Friday that the activities of the investigators did not affect traffic flow on the bridge as no section of it was closed.
Kkunsumi said necessary repair works recommended by the investigators would be promptly carried out as soon as approval for them was received ministry.
The Punch had exclusively reported last month that residents of Lagos were expressing fears that the Third Mainland Bridge constructed by the Federal Government in 1990, might collapse if nothing was done to arrest its vibration.
Their might not be unconnected with the recent alarm raised by some experts that the multi-billion naira bridge had developed structural problems and might go the way of Ijora by-pass bridge if necessary repairs were not effected.