Residents of Hladivode and Alifakovac will be safe from landslides

The Mayor of the Old Town Municipality, Ibrahim Hadžibajrić, accompanied by his associates, today inspected the landslide remediation works in the Old Town, in Hladivode and Podcarina. At the first location, the works have been ongoing for about twenty days and will soon be completed, weather permitting. A landslide stretching over 200 meters down the slope threatened nearby houses. For this reason, about 90 meters of the main collector and inspection wells have been laid, while secondary transverse drainage lines have been laid for about 110 meters. The total length of the drainage to be done is 210 meters, reports the Patria agency.

Hadžibajrić stated that the remediation of four landslides: Hladivode, Podcarina, Pogledine, and Save Skarića, where the works have already been completed, will effectively resolve the largest landslides in the Old Town.

- Of course, there are secondary landslides, which are most often caused by illegal construction, but these four largest landslides will soon be remediated. Drainage and new drainage channels will be installed at the landslide in Hladivode, which will further secure this area that has always been prone to landslides, perhaps the most in our municipality. This landslide threatened 35 to 40 residential buildings located nearby, especially those directly below the landslide - stated Hadžibajrić.

The house of Amir Osmanagić is located above the landslide in Hladivode and was in less danger than his neighbors, but he says that this is a neighborhood where everyone empathizes with each other.

- We all empathize with each other here, and this is not easy at all. People have been living in great fear for a long time, especially when the ground shifts. With the completion of these works, houses in a wider radius, including mine, will be safe, and people will be able to sleep peacefully and live without fear - said Osmanagić.

Residents of Alifakovac, who lived in fear of ground movement that could endanger their homes and cause them to slide down the cliff towards the Miljacka River, will also be able to breathe a sigh of relief. Works at the Podcarina location have already begun, as Mayor Hadžibajrić and his associates confirmed today. Although this is an extremely inaccessible location, the contractor is using smaller machines and vehicles to access the landslide directly below the street.

Traces of ground movement are visible everywhere, so the residents of this street welcomed the start of the works with joy. Husnija Mahmutović said that about 20 houses are in danger.

- This remediation means a lot to our residents, because if it started moving, perhaps we would all end up in the Miljacka riverbed. My house was recently endangered, but it was secured by building a retaining wall. Now I am very happy that the houses of my neighbors, which are located above the road, about 20 of them, will be saved and secured from landslides - said Mahmutović.

His neighbor Džemo Cviko lives in a house located right next to the landslide and lived in fear of new ground movement.

- The risk and danger were great. I am immensely grateful to the Municipality and happy about these works. Fortunately, the ground movements so far have not left major consequences for my house, and after these works, I believe there will be no problems or fears - said Cviko.

In Podcarina, the site is currently being cleared and an access road is being prepared, along with preparations for drilling test holes to determine where the solid ground is.

- Our plan is to build a 22-meter long wall that will prevent the landslide, and then connect the surrounding buildings to the sewage network. The landslide appeared recently, but we started remediation works in time, so I believe everything will go without risk or consequences for the surrounding residential buildings - said Goran Topić from the contractor company "Bosman".

The Old Town Municipality paid funds in the amount of BAM 277,000 for the remediation of the mentioned landslides to the Institute for the Development of Sarajevo Canton, which conducted the procedure for selecting contractors. The value of the works in Hladivode is around BAM 92,000, in Podcarina BAM 48,000, in Pogledine around BAM 72,000, and the works in Save Skarića street cost around BAM 64,000.