Truckers avoid Payra bridge to evade tolls, fines
In order to evade tolls, Patuakhali-bound goods-laden trucks are using alternative roads, avoiding the weighing scales installed on Payra bridge in Lebukhali area on Dhaka-Patuakhali highway.
The drivers are using a ferry and crossing five dilapidated bailey bridges -- over 20 kilometres of distance to reach Patuakhali -- instead of using the Payra bridge -- to avoid paying fines for being overloaded.
Due to this, the alternative Patuakhali-Mirzaganj road is gradually becoming unfit for use as heavy trucks plying the road are leaving potholes while also causing congestion.
Meanwhile, the government is being deprived of at least Tk 3 lakh in tolls every day.
This correspondent stayed at Payrakunj Ferry Ghat from morning till evening on a recent weekday and saw 191 heavy trucks cross the area during this time. However, before the toll system at Payra Bridge was digitised, only 10-12 trucks would cross this spot, said ferry workers.
Roads and Highways Department constructed the 1,170-metre-long and 19.76-metre-wide bridge on Payra river at a cost of Tk 1,118 crore.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the bridge on October 24, 2021.
The bridge established an uninterrupted road connection between the capital and the country's southern part, including Kuakata sea beach. It became a boon to regional communication and expansion of business and agriculture.
While the collection of tolls on the bridge began on the first day, the ongoing situation came soon after the system was fully digitised in August last year.
In this system, all trucks must go through the weighing scales on the bridge and pay tolls as per the load capacity, as well as fines in case of overloaded vehicles.
The average load capacity is 22 tonnes for 6-wheeler trucks, 30 tonnes for 10-wheelers, 40 tonnes for 14-wheelers, 47 tonnes for 18-wheelers, 49 tonnes for 22-wheelers, and 52 tonnes for 26-wheelers. A penalty of Tk 5,000 for excess weight up to 1 tonne and Tk 10,000 for each tonne thereafter has to be provided.
"Goods-laden trucks are often overloaded. A truck with a five-tonne capacity often carries 20-25 tonnes of load. Thus, the drivers are using alternative routes to avoid paying the fines for carrying extra weight, leaving us to collect around Tk 3 lakh less revenue every day. We already informed the higher authorities in this regard," said Md Mainul Hasan, toll operation manager of Payra Bridge.
From the launch of the digitised system till January this year, Tk 9.93 crore has been collected as tolls in six months, he added.
Meanwhile, Nazrul Islam, deputy assistant engineer of RHD in Patuakhali, said due to a large number of goods-laden trucks plying Patuakhali-Mirzaganj road, the road has collapsed in some places and has become largely unsuitable for traffic.
Also, the five steel bailey bridges on this road have long been in a dilapidated state and are unfit for vehicles carrying over 10 tonnes of load. However, with the trucks using this alternative route, the bridges have become vulnerable and risky, he added.
Many truck drivers, wishing anonymity, said they are already suffering financially due to increase in price of fuel oil, tolls on various bridges, and other related expenses.
They often try to offset this extra cost by transporting more goods on their trucks. But if they cross the Payra Bridge, they have to pay a fine. To avoid more financial loss, they are using the alternative road, they added.
AM Atiq Ullah, executive engineer of RHD in Patuakhali, said they will discuss the matter with the higher authorities and take immediate action.
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