Minister of Public Works inspects flood damage and directs immediate repairs
Amman3 min read
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Minister of Public Works and Housing, Engineer Maher Abu Al-Samen, inspected a number of roads and sites damaged by the heavy rains and floods that the Kingdom witnessed yesterday, Wednesday, accompanied by the Ministry's Secretary-General for Technical Affairs, Engineer Waseem Al-Adwan. He assessed the extent of the damage and the necessary measures to address it, directing that urgent steps be taken to ensure public safety and facilitate the movement of citizens.
Abu Al-Samen began his tour by inspecting the Al-Rama bridge on the Al-Rama-Al-Joufah road, which the Ministry closed after cracks worsened due to the floods and heavy rains, in order to protect the safety of road users.
The Minister examined the structural condition of the bridge, which is one of the old facilities already included in the Ministry's plans for reconstruction. He directed the acceleration of the necessary procedures to remove it and reconstruct new concrete box culverts, based on a hydrological study that takes into account water flow volumes and the nature of the site, to ensure efficient floodwater drainage and future road safety.
In the context of mitigating the impact of the road closure on local residents, it was agreed during the tour to construct a temporary side road adjacent to the existing bridge, including water drainage culverts and concrete protections, to secure local traffic and pedestrian movement until the bridge is reconstructed and the road is permanently reopened.
Abu Al-Samen emphasized the need to accelerate the implementation of the temporary road, while continuing to divert truck and transit vehicle traffic to alternative routes, including the Al-Kafrain road, the Baptism Site road, and the Al-Rawda road, according to available traffic routes.
He also directed, in coordination with the Balqa Governorate and the Ghor District administration, to expedite the removal of services and utilities located on the bridge. Relevant authorities have already begun work on removing the services suspended on it, in preparation for the start of demolition and reconstruction work.
He also inspected the Sayagha road connecting Madaba and Al-Rama, which experienced soil erosion in various locations within the Madaba and Balqa governorates due to the flow of rainwater and floods from the surrounding mountainous areas.
The Minister directed the immediate commencement of repairs at these sites, including the removal of dirt and erosion from the road surface and the cleaning of rainwater drainage culvert inlets to ensure smooth water flow and prevent accumulation on the road.
He also instructed the installation of precast drainage culverts at new locations where the floods showed a need for additional water drainage outlets, especially in areas where new water flow paths from the highlands have formed, to enhance the road's capacity to handle water flows and reduce the recurrence of damage in the future.
During the tour, Abu Al-Samen affirmed that the safety of citizens and road users is at the forefront of the Ministry's priorities, stressing the need for a rapid response to damage caused by weather conditions and intensifying field work and coordination with relevant authorities to complete the required repairs as quickly as possible.
He pointed out that the Ministry, through its technical and field staff, continues to monitor the conditions of roads and water facilities and take the necessary measures to address damaged sites, prioritizing locations that affect public safety and citizen movement, and working to implement sustainable engineering solutions that enhance infrastructure efficiency and its ability to deal with exceptional weather conditions.
