Padma Bridge: Over Tk 2 cr toll collected on 1st day

The government earned Tk 2.09 crore in revenue through collecting tolls from the vehicles crossed the Padma Bridge from 6 am to 12 am on Sunday.

"Tk 2.09 crore were collected till 12 am on Sunday," said Bangladesh Bridges Authority (BBA) Superintendent Engineer Abul Hossain.

Around 51,360 vehicles crossed the bridge during this period, he added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the bridge on Saturday and it was opened to traffic on Sunday morning.

Since the inauguration of the Padma Bridge, the bridge authorities have set a target of collecting a toll of Tk 133.66 crore per month. That money will be repaid in 140 installments. For this, the government wants to collect a toll of Tk 1,603.97 crore annually.

The government expects that Padma Bridge's construction cost will be recovered in the next 35 years, according to the Bangladesh Bridges Authority (BBA).

The finance ministry provided BBA an amount of Tk 30,000 crore as credit, which will be repaid with one per cent interest rate in 35 years.

Meanwhile, the government has banned plying of motorcycles on the Padma Bridge until further notice.

The ban imposed by the Bridges Division under the Ministry of Road, Transport and Bridges, will be effective from 6am Monday, according to a notification issued by Press Information Department (PID) on Sunday night.

The government also announced that stopping vehicles, walking and taking pictures on the Padma Bridge are completely prohibited and punishable offenses, as per PID handout.