Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project

include two railway stations with docking facilities. The length of the railway viaduct in Mawa side is2.9km and in Janjira side is 2.65km. The railway viaduct structure consists of nominal 30m spans. Thesuperstructure consists of simply supported 1,600mm deep post-tensioned pre-cast concrete I-Girderswith a cast in-situ composite deck slab. As railway line will sit directly below the road deck on the mainbridge, the alignment of the road and the railway will be required to be separated and to transition bothalignments down to the approach embankment level. The major impacts from the railway will be noiseand vibration and inadequate water supply and sanitation facilities in railway stations1.6.2 Incorporating Climate Change Considerations63. The EIA has considered both the impacts of the bridge on the climate change and the impacts ofthe climate change on the bridge. The anticipated life-span of the bridge is 100 years, hasnecessitated consideration of the impacts of climate change on the project as a major aspect and hasbeen addressed throughout the process of project definition and evaluation. Climate changeconsiderations have been undertaken for anticipated environmental conditions over a 100-year timeframe at 50 year interval (year 2050 and 2100). A1F1 emission scenario as proposed by the IPCCFourth Assessment Report (AR4) is considered as “worse case” scenario for impact assessment.1.6.3 Addressing Associated and Induced Regional Impacts64. Associated/Regional Impacts due to the proposed PMBDP due to its various stages areanticipated to be both negative and positive. A generic environmental assessment is made in this EIA(Chapter 7, Section 7.4), as the actual alignment is yet to be known for the following components: International Route Asian Highway-1 (Tamabil, Sylhet, Sarail, Kanchpur, Dhaka, Mawa,Bhatiapara, Narail, Jessore and Benapole) will require access through Padma Bridge. Thetraffic forecast for the year 2014 and as per RHD road master plan the existing 2-lane Dhaka-Mawa highway will be widened to 4-lane (2-lane in each direction) from the opening of thebridge. Therefore, widening of the existing 2-lane to 4-lane will be required to construct at thesame time of bridge construction and will be in operation from the year 2014. Establishment of railway network from Gendaria-Mawa (approximately 30km) through thebridge to Bhanga-Kashiani-Narail-Jessore (about 90km) to Benapole is the missing link forTrans-Asian Railway Network. Bangladesh signed an Intergovernmental Agreement on theTrans-Asian Railway Network on November 10, 2007 at the UN Headquarters in New YorkBypass road in the Group-B area part of Group-D in Rajuk is covered by 27.16 km roads. Outof the total roads 34.11 percent are kutcha and 10.18 percent semi-pacca. Dhaka-MawaHighway covers a small part of the area. The only road within the area is Tegharia road whichwill connect Munshiganj with a bridge over Dhaleshwari River. This is almost a circular roadwhich starts from Dhaka-Mawa Road and again meets the Dhaka-Mawa Road near the foot ofFriendship Bridge No.1 covering Bibirbazar, Jajira and Konda in the southern part of the area.This has a crest width of about 30 feet and right of way varies from 50 to 70 feet. The parts ofthe circular road have been constructed by mainly joining the gaps and will serve the whole ofthe Group B and D area of Rajuk when the construction of the last portion of the gap will becompleted. This circular road will help through traffic to bypass Dhaka City when the PadmaBridge is operational.65. Positive impacts will be higher than the negative impacts as economic activities along thesouthern end of the bridge (Janjira side) will bring about considerable benefit to the local communitiesin respect of setting up of small and medium and, even, hopefully of large industrial establishments.Trans-boundary positive impacts will be significant as the bridge will facilitate road and rail movementalong the routes to the neighboring countries. Major environmental impacts are change in landusepattern and landscape, impact from economic activities, and drainage and sanitation.1.6.4 Integration of Environment with Engineer’s Planning and Social Issues66. The Project involves land acquisition and resettlement including the impacts on economicactivities of the inmates and other direct and indirect Project Affected Persons (PAPs). As for example,hawkers at ferry ghats, fishermen, ferryboat, speed boat, country boat and lunch operators and ownersetc. will lose their livelihood due to the closure of the River crossing services and the passengers usingthe bridge to cross the River. The safeguard team coordinated with the RTW team and recommendedto provide landing platforms for the speedboat and country boats, so that the services and smoothoperation can be continued during the operation stage of the bridge (especially for the tourists). Multi-1-24