Serbian Army Sets Up Pontoon Bridge Over Velika Morava in Svilajnac: Traffic Savior or Temporary Chaos?
Have you heard about the latest adventure in Svilajnac? The Serbian Army, like something out of a movie, quickly set up a pontoon bridge over the Velika Morava River, right next to the main bridge that is closed for road traffic! Yes, you read that right – the army stepped in to save the day and allow cars to cross the river while the main bridge is being renovated or possibly even demolished.
Why a pontoon bridge?
The main bridge over Velika Morava in Svilajnac is closed for road traffic, and the railway bridge has been out of use for some time. This means that Svilajnac and nearby towns like Despotovac, Velika Plana, and Petrovac na Mlavi are practically cut off from the rest of Serbia. Imagine this – about 3,000 vehicles cross this bridge daily! Without it, traffic is in chaos.
That’s why the state road and traffic inspection ordered urgent action. The Serbian Army quickly responded and installed a pontoon bridge that passenger cars, motorcyclists, and pedestrians can use. Trucks and buses are redirected to alternative routes, meaning all heavy vehicles have to be patient and take detours.
How did the army do it?
The pontoon unit of the Serbian Army transported the bridge parts by river from their bases in Šabac and Svilajnac and successfully assembled the bridge. The bridge was immediately handed over to the Svilajnac municipality, and the army will continue to maintain and secure it. This is not the first time the army has shown it’s always there for the citizens – recently, they installed a pontoon bridge on the Danube in Belgrade, easing access to the Lido beach.
What’s next? New bridge or reconstruction?
The president of the Svilajnac municipality, Predrag Milanović, says they are intensively working on project documentation for building a new bypass and a new bridge over Velika Morava. The new bridge would be built just about a kilometer from the existing one, and its main advantage would be avoiding the crossing of road and railway traffic, which would significantly ease traffic flow.
However, the question remains what will happen to the old bridge. Some residents, like Milan Basarić, believe the old bridge has symbolic value and should remain authentic and renovated, not demolished. The bridge was built back in 1934 and has undergone several reconstructions but remains an important part of the city’s identity.
How long will this chaos last?
Unfortunately, Predrag Milanović warns that none of these solutions can be realized anytime soon – at least a year. This means residents of Svilajnac and surrounding areas will have to get used to the pontoon bridge and alternative routes for a long time. With about 3,000 vehicles daily, this is no small matter.
Conclusion: Heroes or chaos?
The Serbian Army showed speed and efficiency, but the question is how long-term the pontoon bridge solution is. Traffic is redirected, trucks and buses must detour, and the old bridge is closed. Residents are divided – some want to preserve the old bridge as a city symbol, others await a new, modern bridge.
In any case, Svilajnac is currently in a traffic jam, and the army is there to ease the situation a bit. Is this just a temporary rescue or the start of long-term chaos? Time will tell.
What about you? Would you drive over a pontoon bridge or rather wait for a new, sturdier one? Or maybe you have a funny bridge joke? Drop a comment and let’s have a laugh while we wait for the bridges in Svilajnac to be finished!
