Staff Reporter :
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Thursday between Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) and Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) for the operation and maintenance of Padma Multipurpose Bridge.
The signing ceremony was held at Setu Bhaban in presence of Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
Rezaul Haider, director (admin) of BBA, and Shin Young Suk, managing director of KEC signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.
As part of the MoU, a technical team of KEC will visit Padma Bridge site and will give a proposal on possible maintenance, required manpower and relevant issues, including toll collection, Obidul Quader, Minister for Roads and Bridges, said.
Once it gets the proposal approved by the authorities concerned, the KEC will submit its financial proposal as per the bridge management and maintenance manual.
Later, an agreement will be signed based on negotiations between Bangladesh Bridges Authority and KEC.
Obaidul Quader said, the KEC will introduce Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system for toll collection. Under the system, no vehicle will have to stop at the toll booth as a vehicle lane will be maintained automatically.
Besides, the KEC will launch a traffic information application through which people will be able to keep themselves updated with the latest information of roads, bridges and other areas under its range through mobile phone, radio or other devices.
The construction work of the long-cherished Padma Bridge, started in December 2015, is expected to be completed by 2020. The plying of vehicles on the bridge is expected to begin by June 2021.
The 6.15-kilometre bridge, which will connect the country’s southern region to the capital, will hugely boost communications and trade and economic activities.
The bridge, which will have a total of 41 spans with each 150 metres long, has witnessed an overall progress of 73 per cent, Quader told the reporters last month.
The government provided Tk 29,893 crore loan to BBA through the Finance Division to implement the project of Padma Bridge.
Once the project is completed, the BBA will repay the loan from its income at 1 per cent interest.
BBA will start repaying the loan from fiscal 2021-22. The repayment period is 35 years.
