Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit the Padma Bridge construction sites today (Sunday) to witness the progress of the country’s largest infrastructure project.
Sheikh Hasina will also inaugurate the construction work of its rail link, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) sources said, reports BSS on Saturday.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inspect the construction sites of the much-awaited Padma Bridge at Mawa in Mushiganj, Janzira in Shariatpur and Shibchar in Madaripur on Sunday to see for herself the progress of the mega project,” the sources said.
During the visit, the sources said, the premier will open the construction work of the rail link between Dhaka and Jashore under the ‘Padma Bridge Rail Link Construction Project.’
The Prime Minister will first unveil a plaque of the progress of the work of the 6.15-kilometre bridge on the Mawa side after her arrival at Mawa at 11 am on Sunday.
Sheikh Hasina will later inspect the progress of the Dhaka-Mawa and Pachchar-Bhanga parts of the N-8 Highway at the Mawa end and inaugurate the construction work of the rail link (Mawa side).
She will then open the permanent river bank protection work adjacent to the main river training work and visit the overall progress work of the bridge at Mawa side.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to address a civic rally at Mawa Golchattar adjacent to Mawa Toll Plaza at 11.15 am.
In the afternoon, the Prime Minister will visit the Janzira end of the bridge and first unveil the plaque of the progress work of the bridge on the Janzira side.
She will later inaugurate the construction work of the rail link (Jazira side).
Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League president, will then go to Shibchar and address a public meeting to be organised by her party at Iliyas Ahmed Chowdhury Ferry Ghat at Kathalbari in Shibchar upazila.
Meanwhile, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Friday visited Naodoba area in Janzira ahead of the visit of the prime minister to Padma Bridge construction sites.
The two-tier Padma Bridge having provisions for movement of vehicles on the upper tier of the bridge and operation of train on the lower tier is being built with concrete and steel structures.
The government is building the Padma Bridge, the largest infrastructure in the country, with its own fund of over Taka 300.00 billion.
The work on the Padma Bridge is broadly divided into five parts – the main bridge, river training, two link roads and infrastructure (service area) construction.
The bridge will have a total of 42 pillars and 41 spans. Each pillar has six piles beneath. Steel spans will be placed on the pillars.
The China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Corporation is constructing the main bridge, while China’s Sinohydro Corporation was appointed for the river training work and Bangladesh’s Abdul Monem Limited was given the contract for the two approach roads and infrastructure construction.
Bangladesh Army, BUET and Korea Expressway Corporation and Associates are supervising the construction of the bridge which is expected to boost the country’s trade, development and economic activities.