Five types of work are underway at Padma Bridge as the government is scheduled to inaugurate the bridge on 25 June. Those are – setting up markings and symbols on the bridge for smooth movement of vehicles, lighting the lampposts, setting up steel railings along the sides of the bridge, preparing the toll plaza and setting up murals and inauguration plaques at both ends.
Officials, who are in charge of supervising the work, told Prothom Alo there is not many problems with lighting the lampposts. They have completed tests by lighting up 42 lampposts in the past two days. The test would be completed through lighting another 415 lampposts on the bridge and adjacent areas over the next seven days. Then they will turn on all the lights simultaneously.
The officials also said almost 80 per cent work of setting up of road markings and symbols on the bridge have been completed. The rest would not take more than a week.
It might take another 10 days to complete the construction of steel railings on either side of the bridge. So far 30 per cent of the task is done.
Around concrete railing three feet in height has been set up along the sides of Padma Bridge. Currently, the work of setting up an over one foot steel railing along the concrete railing is underway. Overall, the height of the railing will be over 4 feet.
The construction of the toll plaza was completed in 2017. Now the necessary equipment is being set up there. There are six booths at the toll plaza that could handle up to 90,000 vehicles in a day, mentioned in the design. As a result, there is less likelihood of any traffic jam for the toll collection, think the bridges department officials.
The government has already published the toll rate for different vehicles. South Korea’s Korea Expressway Corporation (KEC) and China Major Bridge Engineering Corporation (MBEC) have been appointed for the collection of toll. Among the companies, MBEC is the contractor of construction of main part of the bridge and KEC is the consultant firm to supervise the bridge. The firms mentioned about using latest technologies for toll collection.
The construction work of two plaques at two ends of the bridge and two 60-feet mural is also underway. A bridges department official, wishing to remain anonymous, told Prothom Alo that the construction of plaques and murals will be completed shortly.