The Padma Bridge project has stepped into another stage by completing placement work of rail slabs on the country's longest bridge having both rail and road options.
Official sources said all 2,959 slabs were placed on the 6.15 kilometre bridge.
"We are now one step ahead with the completion of road slab work," Project Director Mohammad Shafiqul Islam told the FE.
He said the project will have some petty works like gas pipeline, optical fibre, electricity, expansion bearing, asphalt etc. after completion of the road slab work by September.
Of the total 2,917 road slabs, 228 slabs will need to be placed. So far 2,689 slabs have already been placed.
The project's Chinese contractor has already started gas pipeline installation work, Mr Islam mentioned.
However, the rail track placement on the rail slabs will be taking time as the Tk 3.69 billion Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project office cannot hand over the rail part to the Bangladesh Railway (BR) before March.
The BR which is constructing the rail track on both sides of the Padma Bridge will develop the track aiming at operating the train on the inaugural day of the Padma Bridge in June 2022.
The government has revised the target of launching the Padma Bridge by another six months due to a delay in completing the work amid coronavirus situation.
smunima@yahoo.com