Padma Bridge collects highest Tk4.19cr toll Friday as Eid holiday begins

Friday (8 July) marked the highest amount of toll collection – Tk4,19,39,650 – from Padma Bridge in a day since its inauguration last month.

A total of 31,723 vehicles paid the toll while crossing the bridge on 8 July, as Eid-ul-Azha holiday kicks off in the country.

Mawa toll plaza collected Tk2,47,50,250 from a total of 19,667 vehicles, while on the Jajira side Friday's toll collection amounted to Tk1,71,89,400, racked up from some 12,056 vehicles.

Earlier on 1 July, the Padma Bridge authority collected its second-highest or Tk3,16,53,200 toll from 26,398 vehicles that crossed the 6.15km bridge from both sides in 24 hours.

Reportedly on 26 June when the bridge first opened to traffic; Tk2,09,40,300 toll was collected from 51,316 vehicles.

Bangladesh Bridge Authority Executive Engineer Md Abul Hossain confirmed the highest amount of toll was collected from 31,723 vehicles on Friday (8 July), although the number of vehicles crossing the bridge on the first day was over 50,000.

"The main reason behind this was most of the vehicles that paid the toll on 26 June were motorcycles," he told TBS. 

The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges fixed the toll for a car or an SUV at Tk750; pickup van at Tk1,200; microbus at Tk1,300; minibus (up to 31 seats) at Tk1,400 and medium bus (32 seats or more) at Tk2,000 and motorcycle at Tk100.

In addition, the rate has been set at Tk1,600 for a mini truck (up to five tonnes); Tk2,100 for a medium truck (5-8 tonnes); Tk2,800 for a medium truck (8-11 tonnes); Tk5,500 for truck (up to three-axle) and Tk6,000 for trailer (up to four axles). An additional Tk1,500 will be charged for each axle for a trailer larger than four axles.

Meanwhile, a total of Tk81,08,120 toll was collected on the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Expressway at the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga route. During the last 24 hours, some 27,040 vehicles from the Dholeshwari side and 24,081 vehicles from the Bhanga side crossed the expressway, Munshiganj Zone Roads and Highways Executive Engineer Nahiyan Reza confirmed.

On the other hand, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge on the Jamuna River has also reported heavy traffic due to homegoers ahead of the Eid holidays. 

The bridge authority here collected Tk3,09,06,050 toll from some 41,817 vehicles in the last 24 hours.

Reportedly, some 29,072 northern-region-bound vehicles crossed the bridge while paying Tk2,05,86,500 toll and 12,878 Dhaka-bound vehicles paid Tk1,03,19,550 to cross the bridge.