Padma bridge’s construction progress 63pc: says Quader

Monirul Alam of DOT
The physical progress in construction work of Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) stood 63 percent of total project, Road Transport and Bridge Division Minister Obaidul Quader said yesterday.
While speaking with reporters at his Bridge Division office in the city’s Banani, Quader also said that the underwater dredging for creating road and railway trench beneath Karnaphuli  river to lay tunnel foundations will begin formally in mid-February.
According to Quader, Padma’s 6.15km main bridge work progressed 73 percent while river training work completed 50 percent. Set up of some 191 Pile, out of total 261 Piles in the design, were completed and work in progress of another 15 piling. Out of total 42 Pillars, construction of 16 Pillars completed meanwhile and work in progress of another 15. The bridge requires 41 Spans, out of which 6 were done fully. Seventeen Spans are ready to be erected in phases while construction of remaining 17 others is in process.
Quader said the 3.4km long karnaphuli tunnel work will begin in the middle of February at the cost of Tk. 98.80 billion. He said the project experts have examined Tunnel Boring Machines after their arrivals from China.
“The dredging will begin in mid-February,” he said.
Quader said the tunnel construction work will be completed in 2022.
Till date, some 30 percent work relating to the tunnel construction has been done, he added.
Bridge Division Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam was present, among others.