A Korean-Chinese joint-venture company takes charge of operation and maintenance of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) on completion of major works of the iconic infrastructure before June 20.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to open the bridge to traffic on June 25, amid a planned pageantry spreading across Bangladesh.
Officials say the Korean Expressway Company (KEC) has already started working on both sides of the Padma Bridge to set up necessary facilities, including toll plazas, to start toll collection and maintenance of approach roads.
Its partner, China Major Bridge Engineering (CMBE) which carries out the two-tier 6.15km main bridge construction, will start the maintenance work simultaneously to properly maintain the steel-truss composite bridge with four-lane road and dual- gauge rail.
Project Director M Shafiqul Islam said the project office has been assisting the firm since the contract was signed long before.
As the bridge's works are almost complete, official handover has been planned before June 20.
"Actually, our working load is shifting to the O and M operators as their workload will now step by step increase," he told the FE at his office.
The PMB project office has already given office space from its space and provided vehicles and equipment to start necessary preparatory work for O and M since getting approval in April to work for next five years.
The cabinet committee on government purchase approved the JV proposal of Tk 6.93 billion to carry out all necessary works for operating and maintaining the communications mega-infrastructure.
The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) recommended forming joint venture to facilitate the O and M works after negotiations as it signed a memorandum of understanding with the KEC first upon request from the Korean government.
KEC is the supervision consultant for the PMB project.
The BBA recommended the CMBE as more suitable for the O and M function knowing details of the technicalities of the bridge, already illuminated fully that creates spectacle over the churning waves of the mighty river.
smunima@yahoo.com