Motorbikes to be allowed on Padma bridge from Thursday
19 April 2023
Staff Reporter :
As the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday approaches, authorities have announced that bikers will be allowed to use the Padma Bridge to reach their homes from Thursday after a hiatus of eight months.
However, experts have expressed concerns that the influx of motorbikes could lead to severe traffic jams and pose safety risks for both riders and other commuters.
Following a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday, Minister of Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader announced that motorcycles will be permitted to use the service lane of the main bridge starting from 6am on 20 April.
However, there will be a speed limit of 60km per hour for motorbikes on the Padma Bridge. The minister also warned that fines would be imposed for any violation of the rules, and the facility may be closed again, if necessary.
The Padma Bridge was initially opened for motorbikes, but after accidents occurred, the bridge authorities banned their use.
During that time the presence of a large number of motorbikes on the bridge also slowed down the toll collection process and caused inconvenience to other drivers.
Mozammel Haque, the President of Jatri Kollyan Samity, earlier in a press conference in the capital warned that allowing motorbikes on the bridge during Eid could put lives at risk. He cited statistics showing that motorbike accidents are highest during the holidays. Meanwhile, ferry service of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) started operations carrying passenger motorcycles from Shimulia Ghat to Majhikandi Ghat on Tuesday prior to Eid-ul-Fitr.
Earlier, BIWTC decided to ferry motorbikes on the Shimulia-Majhikandi route ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.
With the opening of the ferries, the bikers rushed to the Shimulia Ghat since morning to catch ferries anchored at the Ghat. People are using the motorbikes to reach their destinations quickly and to avert the sufferings ahead of the Eid.
According to SM Atiquzzaman, the Manager (Commerce) at BIWTC, a ferry carrying 169 motorbikes departed from Shimulia Ghat at 6:50 am on Tuesday and arrived safely at Majikandi Ghat. On the return journey, the ferry transported five motorbikes to Shimulia Ghat before leaving again with 87 motorbikes.
In response to a request from BIWTC, the bridge authorities granted permission for ferries to pass through pillars 22-23 and 38-39 of Padma Bridge. The decision was conveyed in a letter signed by Project Director Md Shafiqul Islam on 13 April.
On 27 June 2022, the Bridges Division imposed a ban on motorcycles from using the bridge due to overwhelming pressure on toll plaza employees and a fatal crash involving two bikers on the bridge on 26 June.
