Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project

1 Introduction1.1 Project Background1.1.1 Need of the Project1. The proposed Padma Multipurpose Bridge Design Project (PMBDP) is a very important largescale infrastructure project in the communication sector. Implementation of the project will significantlybenefit various sectors of the economy of Bangladesh. The Padma River isolates the southwest zoneof Bangladesh from other parts of the country. There have been substantial improvements anddevelopment in the road network of the southwest zone of Bangladesh, yet this zone remains beyondthe advantages of integrated road network due to the lack of a bridge over the Padma River. Currentlythe link between the southwest zone and the rest of the country across the Padma River is only byferry. The capacity of ferry services is very limited, and waiting time at ferry ghats is more than 2 hoursfor buses and light vehicles and more than 10 hours for trucks. In addition, the Riverbanks of thePadma are very unstable, especially in the south side (Janjira) and the River width changes frequently,leaving approach ghats seasonally inoperative. The expansion of existing ferry terminals is madedifficult by these conditions.2. The proposed bridge will provide direct links between two major seaports of the country andconnects missing links for Tamabil-Sylhet-Sorail-Kanchpur-Dhaka-Mawa-Bhatiapara-Norail-Jessore-Benapole highway and will be an integral part of the Asian Highway No 1 and Trans-Asian railwaynetwork systems. The distance from Dhaka to nearly all major destinations in the southwest region willbe reduced by 100 kilometers (km) or more, that will bring considerable savings in passenger andcommodity movement time and costs, as well as vehicle operation and maintenance costs, whilelengthening the useful life of vehicles, savings in fuel consumption, and reducing the air emission.Riverbank protection will reduce bank erosion and the incidence of worsened vulnerability and povertyamong people affected by bank erosion. By constructing the bridge, economic development of thesouthwest will promote industrial and commercial activity and improve economic and employmentopportunities for local people. There will also be better access to healthcare facilities available atDhaka. Easier communication will help expand education and training facilities, and the resulting skillsdevelopment will ensure the availability of high-skilled workers. The construction of the bridge over thePadma River is a top priority development agenda for the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) that willnot only benefit the southwest region but the country as a whole.3. There is an urgent need to replace unsafe ferry and launch operations between Dhaka and thesouthwest region by safer and more reliable surface transport. Overloaded vessels frequently sink inthis waterway when passing through the turbulent confluence of the Padma and Meghna Rivers. Thesocial, economic, and industrial underdevelopment of the southwest zone, that encompassesBangladesh’s second major port, Mongla; its third main city, Khulna; and the inland port at Benapole,is due in part to difficult access across the Padma River to the rest of the country. A bridge across thePadma River will certainly strengthen links between the southwest and north-central zones. Amultipurpose bridge will enhance freight, passenger, railway transportation, and utility crossings (highpressure gas transmission, high voltage power transmission, and optical fiber telecommunicationcable) between Dhaka and major points in the southwest zone and contribute substantially to thedevelopment of the southwest zone as well as to the national and regional economic growth.1.1.2 Project Location/Setting4. The Project area is located in the south-central part (Munshiganj, Shariatpur, and MadaripurDistricts) of Bangladesh. The specific area at north side (Mawa) of the Padma Bridge comprisesLauhajang and Srinagar Upazila in Munshiganj District whereas at south side (Janjira) of the bridgecomprises Janjira Upazila under Shariatpur District and Shibchar Upazila under Madaripur District.The Project influence area will broadly cover (a) the corridor of the Asian Highway 1 (Tamabil-Sylhet-Sorail-Kanchpur-Dhaka-Mawa-Bhatiapara-Norail-Jessore-Benapole), (b) the corridor of Trans-Asianrailway network and the railway missing link from Gendaria-Mawa through the bridge to Bhanga-Kashiani-Narail-Jessore-Benapole and (c) the Charland in up and downstream of the Padma River. Inaddition, the network for utility connections (a) high pressure gas transmission line will link theBakhrabad Gas Field to Siddirganj to augment gas supply then through an off-take valve atLangalbandh of Sonargaon Upazila under Narayanganj District will be the source point for gas supplyto Mawa, which will cross the Bridge (on the lower deck) and will follow upto Khulna for completing the1-1