Businesses in southwestern Bangladesh are looking to huge prospects as the under-construction Kalna Bridge, the first six-lane bridge in the country, is set to open to the public in mid-October.
The bridge connects Narail, Khulna, Magura, Satkhira, Chuadanga, Jessore, and Jhenidah districts, and will not only reduce distances to Dhaka but also help new investments in these districts.
The bridge will also create employment opportunities for millions of people, say leading local business leaders.
The bridge connects Kalnaghat of Narail and Shankar Pasha of Gopalganj on both sides of the Madhumati River. Of the six lanes, four will be dedicated to high-speed vehicles and two as service roads.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) funded the project under the Cross Border Road Network Improvement Project of the Department of Roads and Highways.
Labeling it as a dream bridge, President of Jessore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hasanuzzaman Hasan told Dhaka Tribune that the Kalna Bridge will reduce the distance from Benapol land port to Dhaka by about 77 kilometres, directly benefiting the population of the seven districts.
“Some new industries have already invested in our area and I think more will join the race, creating employment opportunities for many. This bridge will be a milestone in communication in this region as people from Narail and nearby districts can commute to work in Dhaka every day in only two and a half hours,” he said.
Kazi Aminul Hoque, president of the Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the Kalna Bridge and another under-construction bridge in Digholia will open a new and faster route for the businessmen of Khulna.
“Once the two bridges are opened to traffic, travel time between Dhaka and Khulna will be reduced by around one hour. The transport fare will also come down,” he added.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader recently said the Kalna Bridge will be officially named Madhumati Bridge.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will finalize the name. She is likely to virtually inaugurate the bridge in October, he added.
The premier laid the foundation stone of the bridge on January 24, 2015.
Fast progressing developments
On a visit to the site area earlier this month, this correspondent found that the main work of the bridge has already been completed. Currently, workers are busy doing the necessary lighting, road signs, and furnishing of the toll plaza.
Many enthusiastic people have already visited the area to witness the 690-metre-long and 27.1-metre-wide bridge which has a 4.5km connecting road.
Despite the opening of the Padma Bridge in June, the people of Narail, Jashore, Benapole, Noapara Shilpanagar, and Bhomra land port in Satkhira remained deprived of the direct benefits of the megastructure due to the ferry crossing at Kalnaghat, according to locals.
Once inaugurated, the Madhumati Bridge will connect those areas and help people come by the direct benefits of the Padma Bridge.
The distance from Kalnaghat to Dhaka is only 108km. It will take a traveller only two and a half hours to reach Dhaka from Kalnaghat through the Bhanga Expressway and the Padma Bridge if he uses the six-lane bridge by car.
The country’s first six-lane bridge is a Nelson Low Arch type (curved like a bow) bridge developed with a total construction cost of about Tk960 crore, according to Ashrafuzzaman, project manager of Kalna Bridge and Executive Engineer of Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Narail.
“This bridge is located on the Asian Highway. In terms of road communication, it will play a direct role in connecting Sylhet's Tamabil with Dhaka, Bhanga, Narail, Jessore, Benapole and Kolkata,” he told Dhaka Tribune.
The RHD is also expanding the 52-kilometre road from Manihar Cinema Hall square in Jessore to Kalnaghat of Narail. At present, the road is 18 feet wide and will be increased to 24 feet to reduce traffic pressure in the region.
Toll minimum Tk5, maximum Tk565
The Bangladesh Bridge Authority recently rolled out the toll rate for the Kalna Bridge.
A private car using the bridge will have to pay Tk55 as toll. Tk10 as a one-way toll is there for a motorcycle and Tk5 for rickshaws and cycles.
Similarly, Tk565 has been fixed for big trailers, Tk450 for three-axle trucks, Tk225 for two-axle trucks, Tk170 for small trucks, and Tk135 for power tillers and tractors.
Buses will have to shell out Tk205 for a one-way journey. A microbus, a pickup van, and an SUV will be charged Tk90 as toll. Similarly, Tk25 has been fixed as the toll for three-wheelers.