BACK From PADMA BANKS: Soil tests are underway on both sides of the Padma Bridge. Piles are being released from the factory set up near the bank of mighty river Padma. The river management work has been going on in the full swing.

Hammers were seen ready for piling of the bridge and more than one hundred cranes were also seen floating on the river to quicken the construction work.

So far, 27 percent progress has been attained in the Padma Bridge project.  Of these, 14 percent progress in river management while 13 percent in the main structure of the bridge, said the Padma Bridge Project Director Shafikul Islam.

Being divided into five main packages the construction is going on. The 150-crore dollars’ bridge construction and the 100-crore dollars river management will be the massive parts of the project.

The other three packages are relatively small. These include approach road construction, road construction in Mawa part while construction of five bridges along with road in Jajira part of the multipurpose bridge.

China Major Bridge engineers, involved in the Padma Bridge, think that construction of the bridge will be complete before the stipulated time if they can continue the existing swiftness of their tasks.

Drilling the piles in deeper part of the Padma with hammer and constructing the pillars on them are the biggest challenges, engineers said.

The second longest bridge of the world will be constructed on 42 pillars. Besides, 24 more pillar will be set for three-kilometer connecting bridges (1.5 kilometer in both sides).

A total of 264 piles will be installed including 240 piles (six for each pillar) for 42 pillar of the bridge and 24 piles (two for each pillar) for 12 pillars being setup in both sides.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the challenging piling work in December.

The railway ministry has undertaken a project of 160 kilometers rail route construction in both sides of the Padma Bridge. A Chinese company will implement the project. The six-member team is constantly working at Rail Bhaban in this regard.

As per government’s estimation, not only communication, the bridge will play pivotal role in improving of national and regional economic conditions.

After construction of the bridge, the country's GDP will increase by one percent or two. The income of people in the region will increase by one percent to four. Job opportunities will be created for as many as 7.5-lakh people.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Qauder said, ‘Construction of the bridge has now reached a milestone. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the milestone in the month of victory’.

BDST: 1545 HRS, NOV 30, 2015
RS/RR/SMS