The first part of Genoa's new bridge, which will replace the Morandi bridge that collapsed in August 2018, was inaugurated on Tuesday with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte present at the ceremony among other high-ranking officials, a Sputnik correspondent reported
GENOA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st October, 2019) The first part of Genoa's new bridge, which will replace the Morandi bridge that collapsed in August 2018, was inaugurated on Tuesday with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte present at the ceremony among other high-ranking officials, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
The collapsed viaduct, designed by and named after engineer Riccardo Morandi, was commissioned in September 1967 and became one of the symbols of modern Genoa. On August 14, 2018, a span of the bridge collapsed from a height of about 100 meters (328 feet), killing 43 people and destroying the homes of more than 600 residents.
Conte pressed the button starting the process of lifting the platform that will unite the first two columns of the bridge's superstructure.
"I am pleased to state that we are implementing the work of a very high engineering profile in a record time frame," the prime minister said.
The Italian prime minister also took a moment to remember the victims of the 2018 bridge collapse.
"Today is an important day. It is a signal. Today we will all see the first part of the bridge, and starting from today it will continue to grow," Marco Bucci, the mayor of Genoa, said during the ceremony.
Members of the victims' families were also present at the ceremony.
The new bridge should become fully operational by April 2020.
