Old Bridge in al-Raqqa city about completion

KHALED AL_JUMAH /ALRAQQA

After the residents of al-Raqqa demanded from al-Raqqa Civil Council to rehabilitate the Old Bridge (Al Ateej), Al-Raqqa Civil Council started to rehabilitate the old bridge since July 5, and work is under way to complete it.

The work in the old bridge is divided into two parts, the first of which is work on the rehabilitation of the construction bridge (cement) and the second stage is the metal bridge is directly above the river and work is now underway in construction section.

In less than a month, the public workshops in the rehabilitation of the construction department were able to equip 4 new bases out of 7 destroyed bases, 4 walls above the bases and are ready for the laying of concrete blocks and work is under way to repair the three remaining bases.

One of the supervisor on restoration of the bridge Abdel Rahman Hassan said "We are working on a daily basis and all the machinaries are in place and we will continue to work until the completion of the bridge rehabilitation, the floor where they will put the molds ready, and with a few possibilities, alternative metal bars are equipped for the metal bridge."

The old bridge is an important symbol for the people of the city of al-Raqqa and its countryside, in both northern and southern parts of the city because of its relationship with the city, especially since the people of the villages of al-Kasrat and al-Shami villages (the southern bank of the Euphrates) depend mainly on the supply of their agricultural products of local vegetables, grains and other agricultural crops The banks of the Euphrates on this bridge and sell  it in the markets of and its countryside.

The Old Bridge in al-Raqqa city (al- Ateej) was built at the end of the Second World War, in 1942, in two stages: the first concrete phase and the second phase, based on what was provided by the English and French forces through the Iraq Oil Company.

The first restoration work came with the independence of Syria in 1946. The Public Works Department in the city of al- Raqqa was responsible for repairing the bridge. There was no restoration work until 1982,

Since the liberation of al-Raqqa on 20 October from grip of IS mercenaries by Syrian Democratic Forces's  Fighters al-Raqqa Civil Council is working in full swing in the service of the people of the city..

(T/S)

ANHA