Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday paid a surprise visit to the Padma Bridge on a dewy morning of the Bengali month of Poush.
She went around the bridge with her younger sister Sheikh Rehana and walked 1,650 meters from Pillar No 7 to 18. She also witnessed the progress of the bridge by helicopter.
An official accompanying the Prime Minister said that she arrived at the Service-1 area of Padma Bridge on Dogachhi road in Srinagar upazila at 7:23 am on Friday.
The Prime Minister reached the bridge at 7:50 in the morning and got off at 8:30 am through the Jazira end of the bridge. After having breakfast at Jazira Service Area-2, she crossed the Padma Bridge again at 9:57 am and returned to Ganabhaban via Dhaka-Mawa Expressway.
Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project executive engineer Dewan Md Abdul Quader, confirmed that the prime minister was very happy to see the progress of Padma Bridge work.
Prime Minister’s personal secretary, Munshiganj Deputy Commissioner Kazi Nahid Rasul and other senior government officials were present during this time.
The implementation of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project is now at the last stage. Finishing work is underway on the Padma Bridge with the aim of opening it on June 30 of 2022.
The railway slab and the roadway slab were installed one by one after the 41st span was installed on the bridge on December 10, 2020. Afterwards, on November 10, 2021 the carpeting work started on the roadway slab of the bridge. At the same time the installation of lights began, which is still going on.
Concreting of all the eight expansion joints of the 6.15 km-long main bridge has been completed. The joint of the other two expansions has also been installed. Therefore, vehicles would be able to move smoothly on the Padma Bridge. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came to see the work of the last phase of the Padma Bridge.
According to the engineer in charge of the bridge, everything that needs to be done for the inauguration of the Padma Bridge in June is being done. The Prime Minister came to see with her own eyes the implementation of the dream project Padma Bridge that was built with challenges.
Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated the construction work of Padma Bridge on December 12, 2015. Later, on October 14, 2018, she had inaugurated the construction work of rail link and inspected the work of the Padma Bridge.
After the withdrawal of the World Bank, in the face of various challenges, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina surprised the whole world by announcing the construction of Padma Bridge with the country’s own funds. This wise decision of the Prime Minister will not only change the fortunes of millions of people in the South region, but will also lead to great development in the economy of the whole country.
The Padma Bridge became visible after the instalment of the first span on the poles 37 and 38 on September 30, 2017. After that, by placing 41 spans of 150 meters length on 42 pillars one by one, the 6.15 km long Padma Bridge became fully visible on December 10, 2020.
The construction of the main bridge is being carried out by China Major Bridge Engineering Company (MBEC), a Chinese contractor, while Sino Hydro Corporation, another Chinese company, is working on river management.
Abdul Monem Ltd of Bangladesh has built two connecting roads and the infrastructure for the bridge. The structure of the bridge is being constructed with concrete and steel.
The bridge, built at a cost of around Tk 30,193 crore, is scheduled to be opened to traffic in June, 2022.
