Padma Bridge gets its 34th span, 5.1km now visible

Two more spans have been installed on the Padma Bridge in the space of six days, making a 5.1-km stretch of the main structure visible.

Munshiganj Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 25 Oct 2020, 07:10 AM
Updated : 25 Oct 2020, 07:10 AM

The 34th span of the 'dream bridge' was laid down on pier Nos. 7 and 8 at the Mawa end of the structure on Sunday. The 6.15-kilometre long double-layered bridge will have a total of 41 spans, each 150 metres long.

A specialised floating crane picked up the span from Mawa's Kumarbhog Construction Yard on Saturday afternoon and transported it to the designated pier, according to Dewan Abdul Kader, executive engineer of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge.

However, the lack of daylight by the time the span reached the piers meant it could not be installed a day earlier, he said.

Earlier, on October 19, the 33rd span was placed on piers 3 and 4, eight days after the installation of the 32nd span. Three spans have been installed so far in October.

Meanwhile, the 35th span is to be installed on the banks of the Padma River in Mawa on Oct 30. The six remaining spans are expected to set up by December this year.

Construction of the Padma Bridge began in December 2014, with the installation of the first span on the piers 37 and 38 bringing the structure into view in September 2016.

The construction of the main bridge is being carried out by China Major Bridge Engineering Company (MBEC), a Chinese contractor, while Sino Hydro Corporation, another Chinese company, is working on river management.

Meanwhile, Abdul Monem Ltd has built two connecting roads and the infrastructure for the bridge. The structure of the bridge is being constructed with concrete and steel.

The multi-purpose Padma bridge is expected to open in 2021.