Online Desk: Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday told parliament that Tk 603.76 crore tolls have been collected from Padma Bridge till March since its inauguration on June 25, 2022. The minister said this in reply to a tabled question from Awami League MP Benjir Ahmed elected from Dhaka-20, reports UNB.

Quader said after the launch of Bangabandhu Bridge on June 23, 1998, Tk 7697.71 crore have been collected as toll as of March. In response to another question from Morshed Alam, a lawmaker from Noakhali-2, Quader said that about 6,000 buses of various transport companies including Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) ply Dhaka city. He also said E-ticketing is available on a number of BRTC routes.

Apart from this, e-ticketing has been launched in 3,300 buses of 69 companies out of 97 private transport companies under the supervision of Bangladesh Road Transport Owners Association, he said. Quader informed the House that Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) is monitoring these activities. He said that soon the e-ticketing system will be introduced in the buses of rest of the companies.

In reply to another query, Quader said that currently there is no research programme to reduce road accidents in the country. With Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair, the question-answer session of today’s parliament sitting was placed on the table.