eKpay to be introduced on Meghna and Gumti bridges next week

In a move to popularise electronic toll payment in all toll bridges and highways in the country, payment platform eKpay will be introduced on a pilot basis in Meghna and Gumti bridges next week.
Officials said all eKpay users can pay tolls in these two bridges to pass through the fast-track lane without stopping at the toll plaza from Monday.
The payment will be service-free and users will also enjoy 10 per cent discount on the toll rates to use the bridges located on the country's economic Dhaka-Chattogram corridor as per earlier decision.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges has decided to start total electronic toll payment by all small cars by October 31. Trucks and buses will be brought under the system in phases.
At present electronic toll collection system has been installed in Meghna, Gumti, Karnaphuli, Bhairab, Payra, Khan Jahan Ali, Charsindur, Shaheed Moyesuddin, Atrai and Lalon Shah bridges in the country's different locations and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman highway by introducing a lane at the toll plazas to speed up the process of traffic movement.
An official said an average of 50,000 vehicles cross the Meghna-Gumti Bridge daily but only an average of 1,000 vehicles use the ETC lane due to lack of options.
eKpay, the government's payment processor under A2I, has been providing 40 government services facilitating rise in revenue income through banking channels.
All financial institutions including debit/credit cards, mobile banking and public-private banks are engaged with A2I.
The toll payment will shortly be deposited to the central bank's specific codes. Road Transport and Highways Division under the ministry has also taken a move to bring mobile banking for the toll payment system as part of its decision to popularise electronic toll collection process.
UNB reports: Electronic Toll Collection System (ETCS) was launched on trial basis on the Padma Bridge on Wednesday.
Total 14 booths out of 17 have been brought under the automatic toll collection system. Besides, Padma Bridge traffic monitoring centre was opened at Mawa end to monitor traffic on the bridge.
The Radio Frequency Identification -RFID method created the opportunity to collect toll while vehicles are running.
As soon as a registered vehicle comes in front of the toll plaza, the scanner from booth number-1 identifies it.
Secretary of the Bridges Division Md Monjur Hossain crossed the toll plaza by paying toll in the new smart way around 10:30 am.
Md Monjur Hossain said, "Two booths have been added on both sides as smart toll collection has started on trial basis. So now 17 toll booths will remain open at the entrance on both sides of the bridge where 14 toll booths will work under the electronic toll collection system."
An ETCS registration booth has been set up on the east side of Padma Bridge Uttar police station at Mawa end.
Once this system is fully implemented, vehicles will not have to wait for a long time and toll plazas will be free from traffic congestion.
Toll will be collected manually from motorcycles in three booths- no-8 of Mawa end and no-8 and no-9 of Zajira end of the bridge.