BR to conduct vibration test on Padma Bridge before starting work

Bangladesh Railway (BR) will conduct a vibration test first before starting the rail track placement work on the lower deck of the Padma Bridge.

The test is expected to give an understanding whether the bridge can absorb the vibrations to be created due to placing the rail tracks simultaneously with the traffic movement on its upper deck, officials said.

The Padma Multipurpose Bridge (PMB) project of Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) on Sunday gave a green signal to the BR's Padma Bridge Rail Link (PBRL) project to start its work on the bridge's rail section.

Officials said the Chinese contractor of PBRL will carry out the test taking support from the Chinese contractor for the PMB project which is mainly responsible for developing the entire two-tier bridge structure.

"Actually there is no such example in the world that rail track-related work was carried out after opening a bridge for road traffic," said PBRL Project Director Mohammad Afzal Hossain, explaining the reason for conducting the vibration test.

When asked about the problems rail track placement work might face, he said that usually it is difficult to put cement if a structure vibrates.

However, before starting the test, the project office will sit with the contractors, consultants of both the projects including a panel of experts to take the final decision and make a plan, the PD said, in response to a question whether there is any possibility to suspend traffic movement in case of any problem arises during the test.

The BR project was given access to the Padma Bridge more than seven months after seeking permission in this regard.

Sources said that the rail project officials have visited the entire rail part and are set to start the track placement work from the Jajira side by the end of this month.

Project officials said that two teams have been working on both sides of the bridge and there is no need for new kinds of materials. So, the work can be carried out smoothly.

Official records show, over 80 percent work on linking the rail from Bhanga to Padma Bridge at Jajira site is completed. Progress from Dhaka to Mawa site would be 61 percent.

The PBRL project is developing the rail track on both sides of the bridge from Dhaka to Bhanga to establish rail communication with southwestern districts from Dhaka.