Nearly 75 Padma Bridge installation has been complete with seven spans installed at the Zajira point while two other spans scheduled to be installed in March.

Span 6D will be placed on pillars No 34 and 35 at the Zajira point, while span 6C will be placed on pillars No 33 and 34, says an assistant engineer of the project.

Of the 42 pillars of the Padma Bridge, 41 spans – each 150m long—will be installed.  Among the 41 spans 20 have already arrived in Bangladesh. 

The parts of these spans are assembled and then painted in the Mawa construction yard in Munshiganj before they are carried by the Tiyan E crane and placed on the pillars. 

Among these 20 spans, seven have been installed at the Zajira point permanently; and one temporarily at Mawa.

Seven other spans have been assembled in the construction yard; two of them have been painted. The rest of them are still being assembled.

"Almost 73% of the installation work has been completed," Assistant Engineer Humayun Kabir said before adding, "The work will be completed within the shortest possible amount of time."

Meanwhile, another engineer, requesting to remain unnamed, said the work to place roadway slabs on the Padma Bridge will start this month. A total of 2,939 slabs will be placed, among which 450 slabs have been built completely. 

The conductors requested an extension to complete the construction work; the government acquiesced for a one-year extension.

However, engineers are hopeful the work will be done by 2020.