Yes, you have to shell out some money for a smooth drive on the country’s first six-lane Kalna Bridge over the Madhumati river.
Bangladesh bridges authorities have rolled out toll rates for the bridge -- a private car travelling on it will have to pay Tk 55 as fee. A biker, on the other hand, will have to pay Tk 10 for a one-way journey, while Tk 5 has been fixed as toll for rickshaws and cycles.
Similarly, Tk 565 has been fixed as toll fee for big trailers, Tk 450 for three-axle trucks, Tk 225 for two-axle trucks, Tk 170 for small trucks, Tk 135 for power tillers and tractors.
Buses, of course the big ones, will have to shell out Tk 205 for a one-way journey. A microbus, a pickup van and an SUV will be charged Tk 90 as toll. Similarly, Tk 25 has been fixed as toll for three-wheelers of all make.
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“Although the construction of the bridge was completed on August 30, the Prime Minister is yet to set a date for its inauguration. Preparations for the inauguration ceremony will be taken once the PM's office apprises us of the date,” said Ashrafuzzaman, project manager of the Kalna Bridge project.
On September 7, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that Kalna Bridge would be inaugurated sometime in October after getting a nod from the PM.
The bridge has been built under the 'Cross Border Road Network Improvement' project of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD). Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has funded the project.
“Kalna is the country’s first six-lane bridge. It’s been designed after the Nelson Arch. The length and width of the bridge are 690 metres and 27.1 meters, respectively. A total of Tk 960 crore has been spent for the construction of the bridge,” added Ashrafuzzaman.
The bridge has been built on the Asian Highway, which means that it will play a vital role in connecting Sylhet’s Tamabil land port with Benapole land port via Dhaka, Faridpur, Narail and Jessore.
