Payra Bridge
{{Short description|Road bridge in Bangladesh}}
{{Infobox bridge
| bridge_name = Payra Bridge
| native_name = পায়রা সেতু
| other_name = Lebukhali Bridge
| image = The Payra Bridge over the Payra River in the Lebukhali area of Barisal.jpg
| caption =
| official_name =
| carries = National Highway 8
| crosses = Payra River
| locale = Patuakhali, Bangladesh
| designer =
| design = Extradosed bridge
| material = Concrete, steel, rope
| mainspan = {{convert |200|m}}
| length = {{convert|1470|m}}
| width = {{convert|19.76|m}}
| height = {{convert|18.30|m}}
| load =
| clearance =
| below =
| traffic =
| begin = {{Start date|2016|7|24}}
| complete = {{End date|2021|10}}
| open = {{Start date|2021|10|28}}
| closed =
| toll =
| map_cue =
| map_image =
| map_text =
| map_width =
| coordinates = {{Coord|22.4641012|N|90.3412547|E|display=inline,title}}
| lat =
| long =
}}
Payra Bridge is a road bridge across the Burishwar River. It connects Barisal and Patuakhali, linking the southwest of the country to the northern regions.
History
A student from Patuakhali wrote a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina requesting to build a bridge over the river on which the bridge is located. After reading the letter, the Prime Minister assured to build the bridge.{{cite news|url=https://www.dailyjanakantha.com/details/article/227534/%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A7%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%80-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A6%BE%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B8%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%81-%E0%A6%A8%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A3%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%B6%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%81/|title=প্রধানমন্ত্রী প্রতিশ্রুত পায়রা সেতু নির্মাণের প্রক্রিয়া শুরু|lang=bn|date=4 November 2016|newspaper=Janakantha}} In 2012, the Department of Roads and Highways adopted a plan to build the Payra Bridge. At that time its construction cost was estimated at Tk 4.58 billion. The bridge is funded by Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development and OPEC Fund for International Development. On March 13, 2013, Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the bridge.{{cite web|url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/pm-opens-payra-bridge-traffic-320026|title=PM opens Payra Bridge to traffic|date=24 October 2021|website=The Business Standard|access-date=27 June 2022|archive-date=30 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030180446/https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/pm-opens-payra-bridge-traffic-320026|url-status=live}} Two years later, the budget for the bridge was doubled by revising the project. One year later, on July 24, the Longjian Road and Bridge Company was commissioned to build the bridge. In 2018, the construction work was delayed due to an error in the design of the bridge. However, in 2019,{{cite web|url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/133713/toll-rate-for-payra-bridge-fixed|title=Toll rate for Payra Bridge fixed|date=26 March 2021|website=New Age}} the final construction cost of the bridge was fixed at Tk 14.46 billion and the design of the bridge was changed.{{cite web|title=Payra bridge that establishes road connectivity with South opens today|url=https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/payra-bridge-that-establishes-road-connectivity-with-south-opens-today-1635043660|date=24 October 2021|website=The Financial Express|access-date=27 June 2022|archive-date=2 November 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211102101854/https://thefinancialexpress.com.bd/national/payra-bridge-that-establishes-road-connectivity-with-south-opens-today-1635043660|url-status=live}} The four-lane bridge was scheduled to be completed in June 2020.{{cite web|url=https://en.banglatribune.com/country/news/26299/Payra-Bridge-halfway-into-completion|title=Payra Bridge halfway into completion|first=Rajib|last=Basu|date=20 January 2019|website=Bangla Tribune|access-date=27 June 2022|archive-date=25 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210925082443/https://en.banglatribune.com/country/news/26299/Payra-Bridge-halfway-into-completion|url-status=live}} But due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the work could not be completed on time. Later, the completion date was postponed to June 2022.{{cite news|url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/transport/news/payra-bridge-cost-35-times-the-original-estimate-2176946|title=Payra Bridge: Cost 3.5 times the original estimate|author=Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary|date=16 September 2021|newspaper=The Daily Star|access-date=27 June 2022|archive-date=17 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917031549/https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/transport/news/payra-bridge-cost-35-times-the-original-estimate-2176946|url-status=live}} The bridge was inaugurated on 28 October 2021.
Specifications
Payra Bridge is one of the first bridges in Bangladesh to have a bridge health monitoring system. The length of the bridge is 1.48 km. The bridge has been constructed at a height of 18.3 meters above the water level to facilitate navigation. Not more than one pillar of this bridge has been placed in the river.
Usage and benefits
Kuakata Beach is easily accessible from the bridge. Besides, this bridge connects Port of Payra with Dhaka.{{cite web|url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/infrastructure/lebukhali-bridge-boost-trade-patuakhali-connecting-kuakata-payra-269980|title=Lebukhali bridge to boost trade in Patuakhali, connecting Kuakata, Payra|author=M Jahirul Islam Jewel|date=4 July 2021|website=The Business Standard|access-date=27 June 2022|archive-date=23 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323143623/https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/infrastructure/lebukhali-bridge-boost-trade-patuakhali-connecting-kuakata-payra-269980|url-status=live}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{commons category inline|Payra Bridge}}
{{Bridges in Bangladesh}}
Category:Road bridges in Bangladesh
Category:Extradosed bridges in Bangladesh
Category:Toll bridges in Bangladesh
Category:Bridges completed in 2021