The first-day toll-collection amount and traffic on the Padma Bridge crossed the average daily toll collection and traffic on the country's second-largest bridge over the Jamuna River.
According to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA), over 55,000 vehicles crossed the country's longest bridge on its opening day for public (Sunday) by paying over Tk 27.5 million in toll.
Average daily traffic of the Bangabandhu Jamuna Bridge is 22,512 vehicles, as recorded from the traffic movement from June 2021 to May 2022.
Officials said the toll, collected from the Padma Bridge on the first day, has been deposited to the BBA's bank account. It included the toll paid by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was the first toll-payer to cross the bridge after inaugurating it on Saturday.
The BBA officials said the traffic on the Padma Bridge may not be like the first day. Traffic on the second day already dropped significantly due to beefing up security measures on the bridge as well as imposing restriction on motorcycle movement.
The agency has imposed restriction on motorbike riding on the bridge from 6:00 am on Monday until further notice - following an accident that killed two bikers.
The BBA collected Tk 20 million toll against 20,752 vehicles so far on Monday.
They, however, said the daily traffic data would not be possible to issue every day now for not completing the intelligence traffic service system.
The amount of toll collection from the Jamuna Bridge is lower due to its lower toll rates than the Padma Bridge.
The agency recorded that almost 60 per cent of the total traffic on the first day was motorbikes, as hundreds of bikers rushed to the bridge to earn some extra money by offering ridesharing service.
The toll for each bike on the Padma Bridge is Tk 100, which is double than the Jamuna Bridge.
smunima@yahoo.com