Padma Bridge set to introduce non-stop electronic toll collection

Vehicles will no longer need to stop to pay tolls while crossing the Padma Bridge, as the authorities are set to introduce a non-stop electronic toll collection (ETC) system.

The live piloting of the ETC service is scheduled to begin at 2pm today, enabling vehicles to automatically pay tolls through designated lanes without halting.

Accoding to the Bridge Authority, the initiative is being launched under the special instruction of Road Transport and Bridges Ministry Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan.

To use the ETC facility, motorists must first register their vehicles and recharge their accounts via the ‘d-Toll’ option in Trust Bank Limited’s TAP app.

Afterwards, they need to complete an RFID tag check and registration at the Padma Bridge RFID booth during their first visit.

Once the process is complete, vehicles will be able to pass through ETC lanes at a minimum speed of 30 km per hour, with the toll automatically deducted from the registered account.

The Bridge Authority added that other financial apps will be integrated with the system in the future. The a2i programme of the ICT Division is working to link TAP and additional apps with the service.