The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) collected Tk 6.60 billion as toll from the Padma Bridge since opening of the bridge for traffic.
According to the BBA website, it got Tk 1.11 billion toll from the vehicles during the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday from April 19.
The agency earned the highest Tk 39.15 million in a day during the Eid holiday, as 35,524 vehicles with mainly homebound passengers crossed the bridge, which connects 23 south-western districts.
However, the highest 51,316 vehicles, including motorbikes, crossed the bridge on its inaugural day (June 26) to experience rides on the dream bridge.
The number dropped to one third on the third day after motorbikes were banned on the Padma Bridge following fatal accidents on the first two days.
As the government withdrew the ban on use of motorcycles on April 20, the road-cum-rail bridge started receiving increasing vehicles, mostly motorcycles.
On April 20, 23,049 vehicles crossed the bridge from Mawa site, while 11,219 vehicles from Jajira side, which were 13,725 and 10,410 respectively on the previous day, as per the BBA data.
Road Transport and Bridge Minister Obaidul Quader, during an opinion exchange meeting with the BBA officials on Wednesday, said 77,529 motorcycles crossed the bridge during the three-day Eid-ul-Fitr holiday, paying total Tk 7.75 million.
At the meeting, he said the Karnaphuli tunnel, the first of its kind in the country, would open in September next.
The Padma Multipurpose Bridge was built at a cost of Tk 326.06 billion, and the BBA took the fund as loan from the government.
Since its opening, the BBA paid the first two instalments of Tk 3.19 billion, which was handed over to the Prime Minister in a ceremony.
The BBA has a plan to repay the loan in 35 years by paying quarterly to the Ministry of Finance. The yearly instalment has been set at Tk 12 billion.
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