UNB:
A lighted buoy was floated three kilometres south of spans 12 and 13 of the Padma bridge on Sunday, to help ferries avoid colliding with piers while passing under the bridge.
The decision to float the buoys was taken at a meeting of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), Bangladesh Inland Water Transport and Communication (BIWTC), Bangladesh Armed Forces, and the bridge authority to determine procedures to protect the bridge’s piers from collision with ferries on Shimulia-Banglabazar route.
Ferries from Bangla Bazar to Shimulia have to face a strong current immediately after passing the Hajra channel just 1.3km away from the bridge. As a result of the current, it is difficult to control ferries on the turn and this has led to multiple collisions in the past few days, according to the authorities. Now, the ferries will target the buoy after passing the Hajra channel and will be able to adjust their heading with the current before reaching the bridge, they added.
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Ferries have already started using the buoy and the authorities plan to place a spherical buoy after conducting a hydrographic survey on Monday.
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Ferry owners had suggested moving through spans 11, 12, 13 or 14 on the Banglabazar-Shimulia route.
Authorities suggested passing under spans 6, 7 and adjoining spans, as the vessels moving on Shimulia-Banglabazar route would then move against the current and therefore be less likely to lose control.
