Trial operation of electronic toll collection begins on Padma Bridge

The trial operation of the electronic toll collection (ETC) system has begun on the Padma Bridge. The cashless and uninterrupted toll collection system was launched from last Monday (September 15). According to the concerned, under this system, vehicles will no longer have to stop at the toll plaza. Registered vehicles using the designated (ETC) lane will be able to cross the bridge at a maximum speed of 30 kilometers per hour. During this time, the designated toll will be automatically deducted from the user’s prepaid account. To use this service, first, the vehicle registration and recharge must be completed in the ‘D-Toll’ option of Trust Bank Limited’s ‘Tap’ app. Then, once the verification is completed at the Padma Bridge (RFID) booth, the system will be able to automatically identify the vehicles in future. Abu Said, Side Engineer of Padma Bridge, said that once the process is completed, vehicles will be able to cross the bridge using the designated lane at any time without any problem. More financial apps are coming in the future. Although the services will be available only through the Tap app in the first phase, other financial apps will also be added soon. This pilot program will run for 10 to 15 days. After that, it will be fully launched after getting approval from higher authorities. Meanwhile, everyone is hoping that the introduction of this automated toll system will reduce traffic congestion at toll plazas and save time for thousands of passengers every day. It is worth noting that this state-of-the-art ETC system was launched three and a half years after the inauguration of the Padma Bridge on June 25, 2022.