Padma Bridge ETC toll collection crosses Tk10 crore
Electronic toll collection at the Padma Bridge has crossed Tk10 crore, a milestone in the Bangladesh Bridge Authority's move towards cashless toll payments.
As of Sunday (26 July), Tk10,08,24,600 had been collected through the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system, according to a press release.
The number of vehicles registered with the system reached 1,008, including long-distance buses, commercial trucks and private cars. Since the service was launched, 56,406 vehicles have crossed the bridge using the ETC system.
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Mohammad Abdur Rouf, Secretary of the Bridges Division and Executive Director of the Bangladesh Bridges Authority, said the authority was working to implement the government's plan to introduce a uniform cashless toll collection system across the country.
"Collecting more than Tk10 crore in tolls and registering over 1,000 vehicles with the ETC system is not merely a statistical achievement. It represents significant progress towards making the country's transport sector technology-friendly and cashless," he said.
He thanked the officials, employees, technical partners, transport owners' associations and bridge users who helped implement the system.
Bridge users can pay tolls through mobile financial services such as Tap, bKash, Nagad and Upay, as well as the mobile and digital banking applications of Trust Bank, Midland Bank, NCC Bank, Prime Bank and Mutual Trust Bank.
To register, users must select "Register a Vehicle" under the "D-Toll" option in a participating application and enter the last four digits of the vehicle's registration and chassis numbers.
After registration, users must add the required balance through the "D-Toll Top-Up" service. They must then visit a registration booth or toll booth near the Mawa Toll Plaza to verify the RFID tag approved by the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA).
Once verification is complete, motorists can use the ETC lane. The BRTA-issued RFID tag must remain active.
Bus operators using the service include Imad Paribahan, Dola Paribahan, Sarbik Paribahan and Golden Line Paribahan. Other commercial and private vehicle owners have also registered.
The authority said vehicles could pass through the ETC lane without stopping while maintaining the prescribed speed limit of about 60km/h.
It said the system reduced waiting times and congestion at the toll plaza, particularly during busy periods such as Eid. The authority also said uninterrupted vehicle movement could reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions.
The Bangladesh Bridge Authority said the Padma Bridge ETC system had set a new benchmark for bridge and highway management in the country.
It said work was under way to bring all toll collection at the Padma Bridge under the automated system and, later, introduce ETC-based cashless payments at other major bridges, expressways and tunnels.
