Y-shaped bridge plan raises railway omission concerns

Instead of constructing two separate bridges - a second Padma Bridge and a second Jamuna Bridge - for these two rivers, the government aims to meet the demands of a large population in this region through a single bridge.

The concept of building a single Y-shaped bridge over both rivers stems from an effort to reduce costs. However, in an effort to cut expenses, discussions are underway to exclude a railway line from the bridge structure. Omitting the railway track could hamper the future expansion of the rail network.

Although there is a plan to connect Manikganj with Dhaka by rail, it remains unclear whether the rail connection will be linked to the proposed bridge. Bangladesh Railway, however, favors including a railway line on the bridge. According to the authorities, opportunities for expanding rail communications in the future must be created starting now.

This idea has not yet reached the stage of a final design or an approved project. The location of the bridge, the nature of connections on both sides, its structure, and the estimated cost will be determined based on a feasibility study.

The exact point in Rajbari where the bridge connection will begin has also not been finalized. According to the consulting firm SARM Associates Limited, their initial concept regarding the potential route for the Second Padma Bridge is still not final.

According to Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, the government is considering fulfilling the objectives of both the second Padma Bridge and the second Jamuna Bridge through a single structure rather than constructing two separate bridges.

Explaining the concept, he said two connecting routes could branch off from the middle section of the bridge. There is also an idea to route one path above and another below. The feasibility study will verify whether the goals of two bridges can be accomplished at roughly the cost of one.

Rabiul told Agamir Somoy that there is no plan to include a railway line on the proposed bridge. However, thoughts are being given to connecting Manikganj to Dhaka via rail. No decision has been announced yet on whether this rail connection will be linked to the proposed bridge.

He cited the communication system of the old Aricha ferry ghat as the conceptual basis for this plan. Ferries used to operate from that terminal toward separate terminals in Rajbari and Pabna. The possibility of traveling in two directions from a single infrastructure, modeled after that type of connection, is being examined.

However, it is not yet certain whether establishing connections to two destinations will provide benefits equal to two separate bridges. Engineering complexities of the Y-shaped structure, river dynamics, connecting road length, land acquisition, and traffic capacity must all be taken into account. Only on the basis of these factors can the actual cost and economic benefits be determined.

Two routes are under discussion as potential paths for the second Padma Bridge: from Daulatdia in Rajbari to Paturia in Manikganj, and from Goalanda to Paturia. On the other hand, the list of potential routes for the second Jamuna Bridge includes Balasighat in Gaibandha to Dewanganj Ghat in Jamalpur, the Bogura-Jamalpur connection, Paturia-Goalanda, and the Rajbari-Pabna route.

In the new plan, the concept of connecting Rajbari to Manikganj and Rajbari to Pabna has come forward. However, none of these potential routes have yet been approved as the final alignment for the Y-shaped bridge.

Where the main section of the bridge will be located, where branches will be formed, and what type of structure will be required over which river or adjacent area will be decided following evaluation in the study.

Bridges Division Secretary Mohammad Abdur Rouf told Agamir Somoy that there is no scope to decide right now whether the bridge will originate in Goalanda or Daulatdia. Discussions on potential routes and structures will take place after the results of the study are received.

Bangladesh Railway signaled objection to omitting a railway line from the bridge. According to Bangladesh Railway Director General Md. Afzal Hossain, whether there is one bridge or two, the railway authority would want to include a rail line there. Opportunities need to be created now to expand the rail network in the future.

The government is taking various initiatives to expand rail lines, making it essential to consider a railway on the proposed bridge as well. The railway authority formally conveyed its opinion to the Bridges Division via a letter. As a result, questions have arisen regarding whether to consider not only road transport benefits but also future rail communication possibilities for the proposed bridge.

Initial concepts for several alternative routes have been prepared for the feasibility study of the second Jamuna Bridge, but that has not yet been finalized for the second Padma Bridge. SARM Associates Limited Managing Director Miah Mohammad Qayyum shared the information with Agamir Somoy.

He said when tenders were invited for the study, only the second Jamuna Bridge was included. Later, the second Padma Bridge was added to it. While preliminary ideas regarding potential routes for the Jamuna have been formulated, those for the Padma have not yet been prepared. Their objective is to complete the study neutrally despite all these ongoing discussions.

Various options had been discussed earlier as well for determining the route of the second Padma Bridge. In the 2003-05 study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the first Padma Bridge, four routes were considered: Paturia-Goalanda, Dohar-Charbhadrasan, Mawa-Janjira, and Chandpur-Bhedarganj.

Later, the Padma Bridge was constructed on the Mawa-Janjira route. The first Padma Bridge, built at a cost of nearly Tk 30,000 crore, was inaugurated on 25 June 2022.

There were also discussions at one point regarding funding sources for the second Padma Bridge, and China’s interest had come up in conversations. However, under the new plan, the mode of financing, total expenditure, and estimated savings compared to two separate bridges have not yet been disclosed.

Bangladesh Bridge Authority signed an agreement with SARM Associates Limited to conduct the feasibility study for the second Padma Bridge and the second Jamuna Bridge. Alongside SARM, the consulting joint venture includes firms from Nepal, Sweden, and South Korea. Bangladesh’s Tiller will work as a sub-consultant.

According to the contract, the timeframe for completing the study is 12 months. However, the Bridges Division has requested the team to complete the work within 8 to 9 months while maintaining quality standards. Alongside potential routes and structural designs, the study will evaluate technical, economic, financial, environmental, and social aspects. The estimated length of the bridge, connecting roads, construction costs, and long-term communication demands will also be factored in.

Completion of the study does not mean the immediate commencement of construction work. Following that, several stages remain, including fixing project costs, securing funding sources, preparing and approving the Development Project Proposal (DPP), finalizing detailed designs, acquiring land, and appointing contractors. If foreign loans are required, securing the financing may also take time.

Bridges Division Secretary Rouf said initially there were plans for two smaller bridges. Whether those will now be merged into a single bridge cannot be properly said while the study is ongoing. Discussions regarding the bridge’s type and structure will take place after the study’s data is received.

The second Padma Bridge gained priority as part of the government’s political commitment, and the Bridges Division had previously expressed its intention to move forward quickly with its construction.

However, with the concept of fulfilling the purpose of two bridges through a single integrated structure coming forward, there is now a need to redefine the project’s scope, cost, and implementation plan.

According to transportation expert Md Hadiuzzaman of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), constructing infrastructure over a river alone is not sufficient to reap the full benefits of a mega bridge. The capacity of roads on both ends, connecting routes, and surrounding transportation networks must also be ensured.

He said the bridge route should not be chosen based on political considerations, but rather by prioritizing regions that will yield relatively higher benefits to people.

The first Jamuna Bridge between Tangail and Sirajganj was inaugurated in 1998. There was initially no plan to include a railway line on this 4.8-kilometer long bridge, but it was added later. Experts noted that this subsequent inclusion led to an increase in overall costs.