Cost of river mgt for Padma Bridge increase

Zarif Mahmud: One year after the inauguration and the start of traffic, the cost of the Padma multi-purpose bridge was increased by Tk 1,117.98 crore this time the cost of river management is being increased by Tk 877.54 crore.
The proposal to increase the expenditure was presented at the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement on September 27. The meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Procurement held under the chairmanship of Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.
According to related sources, a proposal to increase the cost of Padma Bridge river management will be presented from the bridge department. If the Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement approves, the new contract price for river management of the Padma Bridge will stand.
Initially, the allocation of Tk 2,612.07 crore was given for the 16 km river management of the Padma multipurpose bridge project. Later, by bringing amendments, the expenditure in this sector was increased by Tk 6,787.30 crores. The cost has increased by Tk 9,400 crores. Now a new initiative has been taken to increase the expenditure.
Before taking the initiative to increase the cost of river management, in the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement held on June 22, the purchase proposal of additional Tk 1,117.98 crore was approved for the variation of the main bridge construction work of the ‘Padma Bahumukhi Bridge Construction (Third Revised)’ project. is given
The Padma Bridge project was taken up in 2007. At that time the expenditure was estimated at Tk 10,161.75 crore. Later in 2009, it was increased to Tk 20,507 crore in the first amendment. Then in December 2018, the second amendment came at a cost of Tk 28,793 crores. Another round of expenditure called the latest special amendment increased it to Tk 30,193 crores. On June 22, the cost of the Padma Bridge was again increased.
A pre-feasibility study of the dream Padma Bridge was carried out during 1998-1999 with the funding of the Government of Bangladesh. JICA, Japan’s cooperation agency, completed a self-funded feasibility study in 2003-05. In 2006, plans for land acquisition, rehabilitation and environmental management were funded by the Government of Bangladesh. Detailed design was prepared during 2009-11. New Zealand-based firm Moncell Acom designed the entire bridge. Land acquisition process started. It is financed by ADB and Bangladesh Government.
In June 2012, the World Bank canceled their loan. In July of the same year, the Bangladesh government decided to build the Padma Bridge with its own funding. On June 17, 2014, an agreement was signed with China Major Bridge Engineering Company Limited for the construction of the main bridge. The main construction of the bridge began on November 26 of that year. On December 12, 2015, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the much-awaited Padma Bridge at Mawa, Munshiganj.
Then on September 30, 2017, the first span of the bridge was installed. The last span was laid on December 10, 2020. And Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Padma Bridge on June 25 last year. The next day, on June 26, traffic started through the Padma Bridge.
Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project has been implemented by Bangladesh Bridge Authority. The main bridge work was done by China Major Bridge Engineering Company Limited. The length of the main bridge is 6.15 km. Its approach road is 12.117 km. The viaduct is 3.148 km (road) and 532 m (rail).
The total cost of the Padma Bridge project before the inauguration is Tk 30,193.39 crore. 1,471 hectares of land had to be acquired for this. In addition to this, 1.6 km at Mawa end and 12.4 km at Jazira end have to be controlled.
The length of the Mawa edge is 1.617 km. It has 4 lane dual carriageway. The total road length is 27.6 meters. There are 2.141 kilometers of service roads and 0.682 kilometers of local roads in this area. Besides there are Toll Plaza, Police Station, Service Area-01, Way Station, Emergency Response Area etc.
The length of Jazira edge is 10.50 km. It has 4 lane dual carriageway. The total road length is 27.6 meters. 5 bridges, 20 box culverts, 8 underpasses have connected 12 km of service roads and 3 km of local roads. Apart from this, there are Toll Plaza, Police Station, Service Area-03, Way Station, Emergency Response Area etc.
Through the Padma Bridge, direct road connection has been created with the capital Dhaka and the southwestern region of the country, Mongla port. Travel time between the capital and the southwest region has been reduced.
A gas transmission line of 760 mm diameter has been constructed through Padma Bridge. 150 mm diameter fiber optical and telephone lines are laid. There are 7 high voltage electric line platforms on pile foundations in the river 2 km downstream from the main bridge.
Padma Bridge piles are racked (inclined 1H: 6V) steel tubular driven. Each pillar consists of 6 piles, each with a radius of 3 meters and a length of 128 meters. The bridge has a total of 272 piles. The rebar used in the pile is 40 mm. There are 132 rebars in total. Padma Bridge has been built to withstand earthquakes of magnitude 9.
The total span of Padma Bridge is 41, each of which is 150 meters long. Padma Bridge has total 42 pillars. Its deck height is 13.6 meters. The upper deck consists of 22 m wide stone deck slabs, with 2.5 m solid shoulders on either side. The lower deck has single track dual gauge rail lines.
A total of 92,000 metric tons of steel has been used in the construction of Padma Bridge. 1,130 metric tons of special rebar of 50 mm has been used for the bridge.
Padma Bridge Toll
To travel on Padma Bridge Tk 100 by motorcycle, Tk 750 by car or jeep, Tk 1,200 by pickup van, Tk 1,300 by microbus, Tk 1,400 by small bus (31 seats or less), medium bus (32 seats or more) Tk 2 1,000, Big Bus (3 Axles) Tk 2,400, Small Truck (up to 5 Tons) Tk 1,600, Medium Truck (More than 5 Tons to 8 Tons) Tk 2,100, Medium Trucks (More than 8 Tons to 11 Tons) up to) Tk 2,800, truck (up to 3 axles) Tk 5,500, trailer (up to 4 axles) Tk 6,000 and trailer (more than 4 axles) Tk 6,000 plus toll of Tk 1,500 per axle.
More proposals will come up

• Increasing the cost of the project titled ‘Infrastructure Development for the establishment of Japanese Economic Zone in Narayanganj Araihajar’ under implementation by Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA).
• 1 cargo from the spot market by collecting quotations from firms that have signed Master Sale and Purchase Agreements or Combined Sale and Purchase Agreements (MSPA) under the ‘Prompt Promotion of Electricity and Energy (Special Provisions) Act, 2010 (Amendment 2021)’ Purchase proposal for import of LNG.
• Some purchase proposals under the project titled ‘Construction of First Terminal and Ancillary Facilities of Paira Sea Port’.
• Tariff approval proposal for setting up 200 MW (AC) solar power plant in Barapukuria coal mine area of Dinajpur district.
• Tariff approval proposal for setting up 70 MW (AC) solar power plant in Lama upazila of Bandarban district.
• Tariff approval proposal for setting up 100 MW (AC) solar power plant in Sonagazi Upazila of Feni district.
• Purchase proposal of ‘Modernization of City Street Light System at Different Chittagong City Corporation’ project under implementation by Chittagong City Corporation under Indian Flexible Loan (LOC-3).
• Purchase proposal for the project entitled ‘Important Road Development of Keraniganj Upazila of Dhaka District’.
• Proposed to import 30 thousand metric tons of bulk granular urea fertilizer from Sabiq Agri-Nutrients Company of Saudi Arabia through state contract in 2023-24 financial year.
• Proposal to import 30,000 metric tons of bagged granular urea fertilizer from Muntajat in Qatar through state contract in fiscal year 2023-24.
• Proposal to purchase 30 thousand metric tons of bagged granular urea fertilizer from Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company Limited (Kafco), Bangladesh in FY 2023-24.
• Proposed import of 30 thousand metric tons of bulk granular urea fertilizer from Fertiglobe Distribution Limited of USA through state contract in FY 2023-24.