Padma Bridge: 30th span installed; 4.5km now visible

The 30th span of the much-anticipated Padma Bridge was installed yesterday, bringing 4.5 kilometres of the structure into view.

The span, linking 26th and 27th piers, was installed at Janjira end, Dewan Md Abdul Kader, project manager (main bridge), told The Daily Star. The 6.15km bridge will have a total 41 spans.

Project authorities have installed four spans amid the shutdown.

Still, the project authorities are working with 70 percent local manpower. All Chinese nationals involved with the important project are working now.

"We are hopeful about resuming full fledged work within two weeks. Most local workers already returned to the construction site after Eid. But they are now in 14-day quarantine," Kader said.

The uncertainty over two spans, which construction work in China got stuck by Covid-19 pandemic, is nearly over as ships with those materials already left China and expected to reach Mongla port within June 15. The overall progress of the project is 79 percent as of April this year, he said.

The physical progress of the main bridge and river training were 87 percent and 71 percent respectively until April, he added.