Govt firm to control weight on 3 bridges on Dhaka-Ctg Highway

FE Report The government has decided to control goods-laden vehicles on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway putting in place a weighing machine to save three bridges on the country's main corridor from imminent collapse. The bridges are Meghna Bridge, Meghna-Gumti Bridge and Kachpur Bridge. Communications Minister Obaidul Quader announced the setting up of the weighing machine at Daudkandi toll plaza near Meghna Bridge on December 17, and directed all concerned to check plying of overloaded vehicles on the highway by engaging a monitoring team. "We have no other options other than stopping plying of overloaded vehicles on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway as all the big bridges on the corridor have been in a risky condition," he said while presiding over an inter-ministerial meeting at his ministry yesterday (Monday). Representatives from home and shipping ministries were present in the meeting. The stakeholders including those from Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation, Highway Police, Transport Coordination Board and Bangladesh Bus-truck Owners and Workers Association attended the meeting. The communications minister said the Meghna, Gumti and Kachpur bridges are very important bridges to keep links between the main port city of Chittagong and the rest of the country, and the collapse of any of these bridges will lead to a disaster for the country. During the briefing, the minister said a team comprising the stakeholders will monitor the weight of the vehicles adding that ferry services on these rivers will start again in a month for the time being as an alternative to suspension of movement of heavy vehicles across the bridges. Though no guidelines came from the meeting on what to do with the vehicles if those cross the overloading limit, officials told the FE that the stake holders including representatives of covered lorry van owners and workers had agreed to cooperate with the government's step during the meeting. They said a suggestion was also proposed at the meeting to set up the weight control machine near the Chittagong port, so that overloaded vehicles cannot reach the Meghna Bridge point, which, many apprehend, may lead to a chaotic situation on the busy highway. "It is necessary to avoid chaos on the busy corridor created by those who will violate the government restriction," said a stakeholder. Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has set up four axle-load control stations throughout the country, most of which either turned inoperative or were shut down due to pressure from various quarters. RHD officials said the Sitakunda axle-control station near Chittagong remains suspended since early 90s. According to the BRTA gazette published in 2004, vehicles with a gap of 3.5 metres between two axles (wheels) are permitted to carry 13 tonnes in weight. More weight is allowed with the increase in the number of axles. For example, 22 tonnes are permitted for four axles and 25 tonnes for over five axles.