A Banglanews24.com team on last Sunday had an extensive visit to both the sides of ongoing ambitious Padma Bridge project. The team has brought out a detailed picture of the ongoing dream project. The team included—Head of News Mahmood Menon, Jahidur Rahman, Mehedi Hassan Pias, Mofijul Sadique, Shubhranil Sagar, Syed Iftekhar Alam, Kashem Harun and GM Mujibur.
MAWA TO JAJIRA: Padma Bridge construction is proceeding rapidly to make real the much-awaited dream of the people of south-western region of the country.
On a spot visit it was seen, a goods laden truck will easily pass through under the highway, while four roads, coming from two sides connecting Naodoba and Panchchar, are being stretched under the highway. Besides this underpass, five more big and mini bridges and 19 culverts are under construction.
As a result, the 11-kilometer long connecting road from Jajira’s Naodoba point under Shariatpur district to Pachchar point under Shibchar upazilla of Madaripur district will be unhindered and safe. 
At Jajira site it was observed that the work of connecting bridges, culverts and underpass are progressing fast.
One Feroz Bepary, mud supplier of this part of the Project, said that after crossing the Padma Bridge, this 11-kilometer road will expedite faster movement supported by all facilities for both users and dwellers of nearby areas.
The professional mud supplier Feroz, moving from one end to other end of the 11-KM road, said that 70 percent work of this site is completed as I have supplied mud. “Dressing of the earth is left only,” he added.
Experienced contractor Feroz added that he never observed such a concerted approach among various departments of such a huge project.
Feroz, to justify his claim invited the Banglanews team to go forward to see the pace of the construction of bridge work.
It was observed that more than hundred labors are busy with the bridge work. About 50 contractors were seen engaged in the construction of the connecting road. Feroz is supplying mud while others are supplying stones, bitumen, fire wood or bricks.
The contractors have appointed thousands of labors. The low lands are being filled up by dredged mud and on the other hand works of building infrastructures are also progressing.
The contractor of Naodoba Bridge over Naodoba River, the first one approaching the main Padma Bridge, Shariful told that four more bridges including this one will be constructed.
The four other bridges are under construction at Kutubpur, Sikdarkandi, Dewankandi and Panchchar where the connecting road will end.
Shariful informed that local contracting firm Abdul Monem Ltd. will complete the construction work of connecting road before completion of main Padma Bridge.
Malaysian firm HCM Construction has also started its work in the service areas. There will be 40 buildings of different sizes in the service area in Janzira part alone. Feroz Bepary informed that the construction of infrastructure is spread up to Shibchar point.
The Padma Bridge will be the biggest engineering and infrastructural work in the country. The length of the main bridge from Mawa to Jajira will be 6.15 kilometers. However, it will be 9.29 kilometers including the viaduct.
On the other hand, the connecting road at Mawa part will be two kilometers long while it will be 11 kilometers at Jajira-Shibchar part.
Feroz Bepary further said that the travel time from Mawa of Munshiganj, Jajira of Shariatpur and Shibchar, covering three districts, will be less than 30 minutes.
After the completion of the dream bridge 19 districts of South-West Bengal will be directly connected with the capital by road and railway links that will save four hours and increase the GDP around 1.2 percent.
BDST: 1442 HRS, MAY 26, 2015
Shahjahan/SR/AKA/SMS
