Staff Reporter :
The much-awaited Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) will be opened to traffic on June 25. Dreams of people will be fulfilled after inauguration of the country’s longest bridge by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said this while talking to the journalists in front of Ganabhaban after a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The south-western region will come under direct connection with the capital Dhaka following inauguration of the Padma Bridge, he said.
“The bridge will be named after the river Padma, but not after any member of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s family,” Quader is also the General Secretary of the ruling Awami League said replying to a query.
Meanwhile, different quarters have urged the government to reduce the toll rates fixed by the government on May 17. If the toll rates are not reduced, the bridge users will have to pay more and bust owners will hike the ticket price.
As per toll chart, a large bus (three-axel) will have to pay Tk 2,400, a motorcycle Tk 100 while a car and a jeep Tk 750 to cross the 6.15-km long bridge.
The Bridges Division under Road Transport and Bridges Ministry issued a gazette notification in this regard on Tuesday.
According to the gazette notification, Tk 1,200 has been fixed for a pickup, Tk 1,300 for a microbus, Tk 1,400 for a small bus (31-seat) and Tk 2,000 a medium-size bus (over 32-seat). Besides, Tk 1,600 has been fixed for a small truck (up to 5 tonnes), Tk 2,100 for a medium truck (5-8 tons) and Tk 2,800 for a truck weighing 8-11 tonnes, Tk 5,500 for a truck (up to Three-axel), Tk 6,000 for a trailer (four-axel).
The notification also said that Tk 1,000 will be added to Tk 6,000 for each axel of the trailer while it will be over four-axel trailer.
The long-cherished Pamda bridge has been constructed at a cost about Tk 30,000 crore with the country’s own funds after the World Bank and other international lenders cancelled financing over allegations of so-called irregularities.
The construction started in November, 2014. The 6.15km bridge on the Padma will connect the capital with 21 southwestern districts. It is expected to boost the country’s gross domestic product by 1.2 percent.
The two-level steel truss composite bridge has featured a four-lane highway over rail lines.
The deadline of the project has been extended several times. The Bridges Division aimed for opening the bridge to traffic in December last year to mark the golden jubilee of the country’s independence.
But the local and global coronavirus restrictions delayed it. The authorities were able to pick up the pace after the Chinese nationals returned to work in May last year. But strong currents in the Padma started causing problems, said officials involved with the project.
