Kalahandi Collector bans overloaded trucks on NH-201

The Pioneer, 19th October, 2008
Bikash Khemka Bhawanipatna

Overloaded trucks endangering lives of many people and damaging the roads on National Highway-201 have drawn the ire of the district Collector who in turn has issued directives to the Road Transport Authority to ban the heavily-loaded vehicles under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.Reportedly, hundreds of overloaded vehicles plying on the NH-201, the main road to reach Jharsuguda and Visakhapatnam from Kalahandi, are damaging district’s main thoroughfare by making it pothole-ridden. Talking to The Pioneer, Collector R Santhagopalan said the 10-wheeler loaded trucks have been banned and a maximum of 5 tonnes of cargo per axel would be allowed on the road from October 18. This implies that a maximum of 15 tonnes of cargo would be allowed on a 10-wheeler truck. The 10-wheeler trucks have mostly been carrying 10 tonnes per axel, which takes up to 30 tonnes of materials in a vehicle. Hundreds of trucks of Vedanta Alumina, Tatas and Jindal companies are plying on the main roads from Belgaon to Bhawanipatna NH-201 and from Bhawaniptna to Lanjigarh via Pokharibandh and from Pokharibandh to Muniguda and Raigada, leaving the roads in dilapidated conditions. The damaged roads are not killing commuters’ valuable time but also forces many four-wheeler owners to shell out money for the repair of their vehicles. It is reported that the small bridges on the roads from Kesinga to Bhawanipatna have almost been completely damaged. With the issuance of Collector’s directives people of the Kalahandi are eagerly waiting to see its efficient implementation by the RTO and the police. It is further to be seen that how the concerned companies would take their loaded vehicles to its destinations.