Progress on Serbia’s Zezeljev bridge replacement is slow

Construction of the Zezeljev rail and road bridge across the Danube River is facing further delays, according to the Serbian government. Work on the 470m-long new bridge was supposed to be finished by this month. But national elections and changes of government have hampered progress, Serbian media have reported. The original bridge was completed in 1961 as a single-track railway line and separate roadway between the cities of Novi Sad and Petrovaradin. NATO attacked the structure five times during its camp
August 30, 2017 Read time: 2 mins

Construction of the Zezeljev rail and road bridge across the Danube River is facing further delays, according to the Serbian government.

Work on the 470m-long new bridge was supposed to be finished by this month. But national elections and changes of government have hampered progress, Serbian media have reported.

The original bridge was completed in 1961 as a single-track railway line and separate roadway between the cities of Novi Sad and Petrovaradin. NATO attacked the structure five times during its campaign against Yugoslavia, of which Serbia was a member. The bridge was damaged first on 20 April 1999 and finally destroyed four days later, according to Edgar Martin, a waterways transportation consultant working in the Balkans.

Construction of the new bridge forms part of an 3287 EU strategy for the Danube Region. The replacement project was delayed initially because of work to remove wreckage of the old bridge in the Danube.

Completion of the bridge is not now likely to be in the spring of next year. Spanish company 5289 Azvi is the contractor and around €30 million of the estimated 60 million has been invested so far.

The minister also expressed concern over slow progress of works on Ub-Obrenovac part of the Corridor 11 motorway.

Serbia’s president Aleksandar Vucichas said he plans to visit the Surcin-Obrenovac section of Corridor 11. China Construction Communication Company began work on the 18km motorway in March 2017, with completion expected by the end of 2019. Value of works is estimated at €208 million, and is financed by China's Exim Bank, while Serbian roads company Putevi Srbije is the investor.

Road Structures

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Serbia’s Zezelj bridge still to be repaired 15 years after NATO bombing
    May 2, 2014
    A Serbian daily newspaper has reported that Zezelj road and railway bridge, over the Danube river by the city of Novi Sad, is still in need of repairs, more than 15 years after NATO bombs destroyed it.
    Read More
  • Serbia: over 150km of motorway built in past two years
    July 4, 2019
    Serbia’s Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure has reported that in the past two year period, over 150km of motorways have been built. Ministry said that the new Corridor 10 has been opened, including the Zezeljev rail and road bridge in Novi Sad. The old bridge was built in 1961 and destroyed in 1999 during NATO bombing.
    Read More
  • Work on Serbia’s Corridor 10 highway is on track
    April 3, 2014
    In Serbia work on the Corridor 10 highway looks set to be completed as planned in 2016. Serbian roads company, Koridori Srbije, says that that the Corridor 10 motorway should be completed by the middle of 2016. The World Bank (WB) mission visited building sites on Corridor 10 and said that considerable progress has been made, with an additional 23% of works having been carried out in the last 18 month period. In 2014 alone, 50km of the route will be completed. Work is being carried out on 238 bridges, out o
    Read More
  • Serbia in talks with Chinese firms over Corridor 11 completion
    February 12, 2015
    Serbia will enter into talks with two Chinese companies chosen through a tender process that expired this month for restarting construction on the stalled Corridor 11 motorway. Serbian Minister of Construction Zorana Mihajlovic said Shandong Hi-Speed Group and the China Road and Bridge Corporation qualified for tender participation. Work includes construction and maintenance of 17.6km of motorway near Belgrade, between Surcin and Obrenovac as welll as the 31km Preljina-Pozega road and maintenance of t
    Read More

Highlighted Content