Padma bridge: 15th span installed; 2.25km now visible

A total of 2.25 kilometres of Padma Bridge is now visible after its 15th span was installed at the Jajira side of Madaripur district this morning.

This span, weighted 3,140 tonnes, was placed on the pillars no 23 and 24 around 11:15am, reports our correspondent from Munshiganj. 

Due to rainy season and lack of navigability, no span could be installed for the last three months, according to the engineers of the mega project.

The span was installed successfully this morning after carrying out constant dredging, said the engineers.

Besides, five more spans are ready to be installed and four of those are expected to be placed within this year, they added. 

Last on June 29, the 14Th span was placed on the 15th and 16th pillars, engineers said.

Of the total 41 spans, 31 spans have already reached to the construction sites from China.

Building of 2,891 slabs for railway have been completed while rest 68 are being constructed.

The construction work of the long-cherished Padma Bridge started in December, 2015 and the first span (superstructure) among the 41 was installed on September 30, 2017.

The length of the steel structure double-deck Padma bridge is 6.15 kilometres. The trains will run through the lower deck while the road will be on the upper level of the bridge.

When the construction of the Padma bridge is completed, the capital will be directly connected with 21 southern districts through road and railways.

The construction of main Padma Bridge is going by China company Major Bridge Engineering Co Ltd while the works of river training is going on by Sino Hydro Corporation of the same country.