Lido closer to citizens this year as well
Friday, 27.7.2018 | CIMIC
Like in the previous years, this year also the pontoneers of the First Pontooneer Battalion of the River Fleet set up a pontoon bridge over the river branch connecting Zemun with the Great War Island.
Like in the previous years, this year also the pontoneers of the First Pontooneer Battalion of the River Fleet from the garrison of Šabac set up a pontoon bridge over the river branch connecting Zemun with the Great War Island, a favourite outdoors site and the Lido beach on the Danube River.
The pontoon bridge, 355 meters long, which consists of 36 floating components and two end components, was assembled by experienced pontoneers in a record time of about five hours and put into operation on 26th June this year. Daily, in a nice weather, on average, over five thousand people cross the bridge and on weekends even up to two times more.
- In order to avoid unwanted and unforeseen situations on and around the pontoon bridge, a duty crew on the bridge was put in operation 24/7 comprising duty officer of camp facilities, his assistant and four observers changing every two hours, says Second Lieutenant Nebojša Milovanović, 1st pontoneer platoon leader and commander of the bridge crossing point.
- The day before yesterday, although it was explicitly banned, a girl bicycled a bridge, lost her balance and fell into the water. We pulled the girl out of the water by a quick intervention, but the bicycle was not rescued, tells Second Lieutenant Milovanović the story of one of many unforeseen events.
The fact that Zemun residents, as well as other visitors to the popular beach, are very pleased, is told to us by Đorđe Lazarević and his son Vuk from Zemun, whom we found while returning from Lido.
- We are on Lido every day. I remember the time when there was no military bridge, and we crossed the river from the Zemun side on scaffold and by boats. It was very complicated, it was paid for and sometimes it took long waiting for the transport to cross over. Setting up a pontoon bridge is a great thing, a real good move. Bravo for our army. The soldiers are correct and fine, they watch us, and the bridge is regularly maintained. Look how clean and neat it is. Bravo, bravo army, Lazarević said.
The Ponton Bridge, which was installed by the pontoneers of the First Pontoneer Battalion, will operate until 1st September, when its dismantling and transportation to the Šabac garrison will take place.
