Bangladesh: Govt publishes gazette fixing Padma bridge toll

Bangladesh desk: The government on Tuesday published a gazette notification fixing the rate of tolls for using the much-awaited Padma Multipurpose Bridge, the largest bridge in Bangladesh.

As per the gazette, the toll rates range from Tk 100 to over Tk 6,000 for different types of vehicles including motorcycles, cars, buses, trucks and trailers.

The Padma Bridge now awaits its inauguration in the last week of June.

The road transport and bridges ministry published the gazette notification.

As per the gazette, the toll rates are Tk 100 for a motorcycle, Tk 750 for a car and a jeep, Tk 1,200 for a pick-up van, Tk 1,300 for a microbus, Tk 1,400 for a minibus (31 seats or less than that), Tk 2,000 for a medium bus (32 seats or more than that), Tk 2,400 for a big bus (3 axles), Tk 1,600 for a small truck (up to 5 tonnes), Tk 2,100 for a medium truck (from 5 tonnes to 8 tonnes), and Tk 2,800 for a medium truck (from 8 tonnes to 11 tonnes) and Tk 5,500 for trucks up to 3 axles.

In cases of trailers, as per the gazette, the toll rate for using the bridge is Tk 6,000 for trailers up to 4 axles while the toll rate for trucks over 4 axles is Tk 6,000 plus Tk 1,500 for every other axle.

The toll rates are about 1.5 times higher than the existing toll rates for ferries on the Shimulia-Kathalbari route.

On April 28, the Bridges Division officials sent a summary of the proposed toll rates to the Prime Minister’s Office.