Eid journeys: 7 Padma Bridge booths collecting tolls, but traffic tailbacks yet to ease

A rush of motorcycles has descended on Padma Bridge since dawn on Friday

People have begun heading home for the Eid-ul-Azha holidays. The rush of holidaymakers has caused heavy traffic congestion at the Padma Bridge, which stands as a gateway to the southern districts of the country.

Seven booths on the bridge are collecting tolls, but it has done little to ease the number of vehicles pouring in. Long tailbacks stretched away from the bridge, especially along the lane for motorcycles.

Motorcycles and other vehicles descended on the Padma Bridge area early on Friday morning.

The tailbacks later extended nearly 3 km from the toll plaza on the Mawa end at Munshiganj’s Louhajang Upazila to Sreenagar Upazila.

Due to the onrush of motorcycles, the number of booths tending to the vehicles was increased to two around dawn, but later reduced to one again as other vehicles arrived at the bridge.

“In addition to motorcycles, there is a rush of cars and buses,” said Syed Rajab Ali, supervising engineer of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority. “More traffic is typical during Eid, so the traffic is moving normally.”

Thandar Khairul Hasan, the district’s additional superintendent of police said, “Though there are some issues due to the heavy traffic, people are returning home comfortably. The overall situation is normal.”

The Padma Bridge was opened to motorcycle traffic for the second time on Apr 20 last year. Authorities had previously, on Jun 26, 2022, banned motorcycles from the bridge when two men were killed in an accident soon after the bridge opened.