Padma Bridge authority collected Tk 2,09,40,300 toll from vehicles that crossed the bridge on the first day (26 June), after the authorities opened it to traffic at 6:00am.
A total of 51,316 vehicles from both sides crossed the mighty Padma in the first 20 hours using the 6.15km bridge, Bangladesh Bridge Authority Executive Engineer Md Abul Hossain confirmed.
Mawa toll plaza collected Tk 10,895,900 from a total of 26,589 vehicles, while on the Jajira side the first-day toll collection amounted to Tk 10,044,400 from 24,727 vehicles.
Earlier, in the first eight hours – from 6am to 2pm – some 15,200 vehicles crossed Padma Bridge while paying Tk 82,19,050 toll.
Long queues of buses, trucks, cars, motorcycles, and ambulances were seen waiting in hundreds on the Dhaka-Mawa Expressway till the gates of the bridge opened at 6am Sunday.
People started thronging the Mawa point of the bridge yesterday night to cross the bridge at first chance.
However, the situation improved significantly as the day progressed.
Meanwhile, many people were seen breaking the rules imposed by the BBA for the security and protection of the Padma Bridge.
Later on the day, Bridges Division prohibited motorcycles from plying on Padma Bridge until further notice from Monday 6am. The order will remain effective until further notice.
