The Padma Multipurpose Bridge paragraph

The Padma Multipurpose Bridge is a multipurpose road-rail bridge across the Padma River. Bangladesh is constructing the bridge with its own resources. It connects Louhajong, Munshiganj to Shariatpur and Madaripur.

Thus, it will link the south-west of the country to northern and eastern regions. Once completed, it will connect 21 southern districts with the capital. The bridge is a two-level steel truss bridge that carries a four-lane highway on the upper level and a single-track railway on the lower level.

Having 41 spans, each 150 m long and 204 steel piles and 32 vertical bored concrete piles, the bridge is 6.15 km long and 18.18m wide. The rail viaduct has 14 spans of 332 m connecting Mawa end to Jajira end. Apart from transportation, there are other utilities like gas transmission line, optical fiber and telephone line and high voltage electric line through the bridge.

The bridge is being constructed by China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Company Limited. Starting on 7 December 2014, the construction is expected to end in the mid of 2022, though this mega project was initially expected to be completed by the end of 2019. The project has taken 1062 hectares of land. 

Padma Bridge is the most expensive project in the history of Bangladesh. However, the estimated preliminary cost was BDT 91.72 million, but it is now estimated around BDT 301933.88 million. It will be the sixth largest bridge in the world upon completion.

However, the bridge will contribute a lot to the economic development of Bangladesh. It will increase the GDP by as much as 1.2 percent. Thus, the Padma Multipurpose Bridge will be a huge milestone in the construction history of Bangladesh.

The Padma Bridge is one of the dream projects of Bangladesh. It is a multipurpose road and rail bridge over the Padma River. It will be the sixths largest bridge in the world upon completion.

The construction journey was started by China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Company Limited on 7 December 2014. The whole construction was completed by May 2022. This bridge will be opened by Honourable Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina on June 25 of 2022. The two level steel truss bridge is 6.15 km long and 18.10 m wide. It has a four lane highway on the upper level and a single track railway on the lower level.

The whole project cost is estimated to be US 3.868 Billion (Including VAT and IT). It wasn’t easy at the start considering funds and other economic issues when the World Bank cancelled its credit agreement. At last, the country had come up with its own funding. There was not only an economic issue but also an environmental problem. The river Padma has two natures calm in winter and cruel in summer.

So, the construction process was divided into 6 parts. The first was constructing the main bridge. The second part was River training works around 14 km (1.6 Mawa + 12.4 in Janjira). The third and fourth parts were connecting the main bridge with two highways. The final part was constructing the service area and supervision. The bridge will connect the southwest part of the country with the capital and eastern part.

As a result, regional cooperation and transport management will be improved. Besides, it will cause a radical change in industrial development. Medical and educational facilities will be easier to access. Thus, it will play an important role in the economic sector of Bangladesh. The Padma Bridge is supposed to be inaugurated in December 2021. The world will witness one more history of proud Bangladesh.