The Council for the Regulation of Engineering Nigeria, COREN in Anambra State, has described the three flyovers built at Amawbia, Kwatta and Aroma junction by the former Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, as an aberration.
The three flyovers were envisioned by the Obiano administration to serve as an interchange to ease traffic at the various points, in a contract that cost the state over 15 billion naira.
Recently, motorists have raised alarm over the cracks on the walls of the flyovers and the separation on the expansion joints.
Many have also stopped using the flyovers, expressing fear that they are not safe.
But according to the State COREN Chairman, Engr Victor Mejulu who spoke on Monday after inspecting the flyovers in the company of COREN engineers, while the three flyovers may look beautiful, they were shabbily constructed and do not serve the conceivable idea of decongesting traffic flow.
Acknowledging that the bridge has passed integrity test, Mejulu insisted that the flyovers has failed to serve the purpose of easing traffic.
He queried the decision to barricade the flyovers from articulated vehicles, arguing that if the structures were strong, they should be opened for all kinds of vehicles.
“What we have as flyovers in the state capital are good for nothing.
“I must appreciate the past administration in the state for giving it a thought to beautify the state, but the truth be told, the three structures are no flyovers by structural definition.
“A flyover is structural interchange aimed at decongesting traffic flow but when at the end of building the flyovers, they are increasing gridlock, then what you have is an aberration.
“The flyovers in the state are more or less, good for nothing,” he said.
The Anambra COREN Chairman urged the state government to either commence urgent work to cover the removing expansion joints or pull down the flyovers entirely and redesign.
“Something drastic must be done.
“It is either we redesign the entire flyover and retain some of the beams or structures that can sustain, or we collapse the entire flyover and redesign again, so that it can fit into a modern systematic interchange.
“I was privileged to see the redesigning the present administration is trying to do and that is okay but the bridge is rather too big. This is as a result of very poor engineering designs.
“There were more of sand fillings and this occupied too many space that ought to have been used for economic activities.
“When you go to Ebonyi State and see what the governor did there, you will appreciate a good job because they did a good engineering work. But here, what we have is good for nothing,” Mejulu insisted.
He expressed fear that an ugly incident which happened years ago, where many vehicles waiting on the queue at the foot of the Kwatta flyover were smashed by a lorry which lost its brakes, killing many, may reoccur.
“We all saw what happened where vehicles were smashed and many died while waiting at the Kwatta flyover, because government barricaded the flyover.
“Such ugly incident, if care is not taken, may happen because on a daily basis, the traffic is becoming quite unbearable.
“Since they have done integrity test and they passed, they should open up the barricades.
“We have also found that the expansion joints were vandalized and the rods protruding from the joints can pierce tyres and cause accidents.
“All needed to do is to cover it with bitumen in the interim before serious designing work on the flyover.
“So, there is urgent need to do something on that flyover,” he said.
The Anambra COREN Chairman urged the state government to engage the services of the COREN in the redesigning of the flyovers to give them a professional touch.
