In the first year, around Tk 800 crore has been earned in toll collection from vehicles at Padma Bridge which is, on average, about Tk 2.18 crore per day.
Every day different types of vehicles, on average 15 thousand, used the bridge since it opened to traffic on June 26 last year.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader revealed this at a press conference at Setu Bhaban in the capital on Sunday, marking the one year anniversary of the inauguration of Padma Bridge.
He said that 56.75 lakh vehicles crossed the bridge paying toll of Tk 798,23,96,000 so far that surpassed the government’s initial estimates. "I hope the toll collection will reach Tk 800 crore by this evening [Sunday]," he added.
Obaidul Quader said, "According to the latest cost revision, Tk 32,605 crore has been spent on the construction of this bridge. As you know, Padma is considered as the most unpredictable river after Amazon. Each phase of the construction work had challenges. Due to the behaviour of the river, we had to make a slight change in the design towards the end.”
"The double-decker Padma Bridge is not just a bridge to cross the river. It also has a railway line. Similarly, gas and optical fibre lines have passed from one side to the other. Besides, a separate 400kv power transmission line has been laid from Payra and Rampal to the entire country, including Dhaka."
The minister said that it is mandatory for every citizen except the President to pay toll. "The Prime Minister also paid toll for crossing the bridge. She paid Tk 59,600 toll on the day of the inauguration. Besides, Bangladesh Army and other organisations paid Tk 91,70,000 toll for their vehicles."
He said as an autonomous organisation, Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) has taken loan from the government for bridge construction. They will repay this loan to the government treasury as per schedule. So far four installments have been paid in the outgoing fiscal year.
They have repaid a total of Tk 632.94 crore to the government treasury, including about Tk 316.91 crore as the first two installments and about Tk 316.03 crore as the third and fourth installments. According to the agreement, the entire amount is to be returned to the government within 35 years.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the bridge on June 25 last year and since then the bridge provided uninterrupted service to connect south and south-western Bangladesh with the capital.
Obaidul Quader said Padma Bridge is an example of how a bridge can change the economic scenario. “Road connectivity has now been established with 19 districts in the southwestern part of the country. Through this bridge, direct connectivity has been established with Mongla Port, Payra Port, and Benapole land ports. Passengers and goods transportation is now time and cost-efficient.”
He also said, "The once neglected region across the river is shining today. Small and large industrial factories are being developed there. Doors of dreams have opened and horizons of possibilities have expanded."
Bridges Division Secretary Md. Monjur Hossain and Padma multipurpose bridge project director Md. Shafiqul Islam were present at the press conference.
