Exuberance for PMB sights makes traffic unmanageable

Exuberance-fraught first-day traffic on the Padma bridge seemed unmanageable for heavy rush of enthusiastic sightseers and vehicles who couldn't check emotion of crossing the tamed mighty river sans ferry on the inaugural day.

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA), Highway Police, Ansar, and District Administrations faced the pressure of vehicles, mostly bikes, from dusk to dawn and even at night as majority of them paused in the middle of the 6.15-kilometre bridge to take pictures and enjoy the sparkling bridge looks.

The Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) project already sought assistance from the Engineering Support and Safety Team of the Bangladesh Army to ensure security of the bridge, while there were some untoward incidents.

"From tomorrow (Monday), no one will be allowed to stop over in the Padma Bridge or take any picture," says an official.

To cross the toll plaza first, hundreds of people waited for hours mainly at Mawa end, which was cleared before noon. But the traffic started increasing after 4 pm again.

The FE found around 100 bikes in the queue at Mawa around 3:45 pm. According to the data available to BBA, 60 per cent of the traffic constituted bikes followed by 20-percent cars and microbuses.

Bikers from different parts of the country also used the Padma bridge trips for extra earning from the enthusiastic visitors.

Sheikh Farid, who rents his bike in the city, rushed to the bridge site with a passenger for Tk 400. But, finding more business scope, he started giving trips to the Padma Bridge visitors dropped at Mawa and Janjira sites by buses.

Mizan, another young motorcycle rider, also made several trips on the Padma Bridge against Tk 200 to Tk 300, taking the opportunity in share riding.

"I was going to Dhaka from Khulna in my bike. But, watching people looking for bike to go to Mawa site, I took the opportunity to earn extras," he told the FE correspondent at Janjira point.

Dhaka-Mawa buses were found alluring many people from Dhaka to take them to the Padma Bridge. But the vehicles dropped them at a distance from the toll plaza.

Mohammad Jewel, who came with his friend on one bus, was blocked by the security when he tried to cross the toll plaza by walking.

"We thought we could go up to the bridge by walking ," he said, adding that buses which were crossing the bridge had sought Tk 300 for one trip each when he tried another option to cross the bridge.

Abul Kalam, Khadem (Volunteer) of Muslim Jam e Mosque of Narayanganj, crossed the cherished bridge with his wife and a minor son on a bus in the afternoon. But he could not get any bus for return after waiting quite a long time under the scorching sun. "We are told that there will be other buses from here to pick up to go back. But we could not find any," he said.

Till 2 pm, the BBA had estimated over 15,200 vehicles having crossed the bridge paying Tk 8.21 million. The Mawa-site toll plaza received 4,966 motorcycles and 1652 private cars and micros.

The number will be twofold at the end of the first day, a source said watching the rush of the people in the evening as people will also be enthusiastic to watch the night view of the Padma Bridge.

Enthusiasm was also found among people from far-flung areas. An Aricha-Dhaka- bound bus went up to Bhanga with reserve passengers who were the teachers of Manikganj Jhitka School located in Haribazar of Manikganj.

Mohammad Chunnu Miah, math teacher of the school, said they hired the bus with 55 teachers and reached Bhanga at around 2 pm starting from Manikganj at 7 am. He said paying Tk 500 each they had planned to go back through Paturia ferry ghat.

Sohel, the helper of the bus, said the bus runs between Gabtoli and Paturia.

Some 50 people of Kanutia village of Mohammadpur thana Magura district were found at Janjira site enjoying Chatpati and fruit juices. They also hired the bus to see the dream bridge.

The FE also found heavy vehicles from southwestern districts also crossing the bridge with various goods. Some of those vehicles were overloaded. The BBA recorded five trucks with highest five axle to cross the bridge. The number of trucks was 108.

Centering the Padma Bridge, business opportunities for vendors have also been created.

Mohammad Akbar Hossain, who started Chatpatti business at the ending point of Janjira 15 days before, said he came to the site from Khulna with the hope to do business. Not only Akbar Hossain, his brother and his nephew joined him to sell pickles and chips hoping that hundreds of people may visit the Padma Bridge for sightseeing.

More than 50 vendor shops with different kinds of juice and dry foods have been set up on both sides of the bridge to do business.

Meanwhile, a video went viral in the social media TikTok showing a man unscrewing a nut and a bolt from the railing of the Padma Bridge. BBA officials said the person named Benozir of Patuakhali district was arrested by police.

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