Mir Nasiruddin Ujjwal, Munshiganj
Work is going on round the clock to make the Padma Bridge ready for vehicular movement despite the lockdown. Workers are actually working in three shifts to complete the work within the schedule.
The overall progress of the Padma Bridge work is about 85 percent. And the progress of the main bridge has exceeded 93 percent. Besides, the progress of river training is 82 percent.
According to the bridge authorities, bitumen work for road construction on the bridge will start at the end of the next monsoon. About 192 new stringers will be installed at the end of this month. The railway slab below the roadway above the bridge is sitting in equal measure. The progress of railway slab is 85 percent. And the progress of roadway slab is 79 percent;665 parapet walls of railings and 641 slab share pockets of railways installed. The bridge workers are happy with the progress of the work despite the corona challenge.
Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project Director Shafiqul Islam said, “After the completion of the infrastructure of the bridge it became visible on December 10 last year. All other work related to the bridge is gaining momentum. The bridge is now buzzed with the workers’ working rhythm”.
He informed that the decoration work of the main bridge, which started in December 2014, is now underway. However, the finishing task will take a little more time.
A contract worth Tk 8,707.81 crore is being carried out with a Chinese contractor for the construction of the bridge. At the Jajira end of the Padma Bridge, millions of sandbags and stones are being dumped in the river. Fearing the devastation of the Padma in the coming monsoon lots of work are going on for river training.
Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project Supervising Engineer Sharful Islam Sarkar said, “The mighty Padma has changed its course. The main channel of the Padma is flowing towards Jajira after the emerging of char in the drought prone area of Mawa. The direction is changing due to natural causes. Therefore, there is a fear of erosion in the coming monsoon. All efforts are being made to deal with the situation”.
Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project Assistant Engineer Raif Asifullah said, “The progress of river training work is satisfactory. At the same time adequate blocks and path baffles have been stocked at the Jazira end”.
He said, “The Padma is going to change its course from Mawa to Jajira. Various steps have been taken to control the river in advance. The ferry has been shifted from Kathalbari to Banglabazar. Four high power dredgers are working simultaneously in Padma near Kathalbari and 36 lakh blocks have been kept ready. A few hundred tons of rock has been stockpiled on the banks of the Padma”.
Authorities said the work would be completed by June next year, but the Padma Bridge would be operational by March next year. So far, Tk 24,875 crore has been spent out of Tk 30,193.39 crore.
Professor Sagufta Yasmin Emily, Member of Parliament for Munshiganj-2 constituency, said , “Ignoring all conspiracies, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s wise decision to build the Padma Bridge with the government’s own funds, the position of Bangladesh has gone up to a special height in the world”.