Overloaded trucks put lives at risk

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, October 19

In the paddy harvesting season, overloading of trucks is leading to tragedies on busy roads in the town.

Exceeding vehicle’s maximum permissible weight is not only a danger to the road users but these vehicles are damaging overhead power supply lines and roadsides trees.

Owned by the big transport companies, these overloaded vehicles are carrying goods more than double their capacity, without any fear of law.

The Transport Department and traffic police have turned a blind eye to these vehicles due to the political connections of transporters.

The district administration has also been ignoring overloaded trucks as these are transporting paddy from the procurement centres to rice mills.

As the district administration wants to make maximum shifting of the procured paddy, so the rule book regulating the loading of the trucks has been rolled under the carpet.

The slightest mistake could cause these overloaded trucks to flip onto their side and crush vehicles and pedestrians. They can also damage electricity wires and snap the power supply.

The temptation to overload the trucks is to maximise payload and reduce overall fuel cost.

“But this belief is a big mistake. Leave aside the legal action or the penalties, overloaded vehicles have significantly increased fuel consumption. Tyres are more prone to wear, steering becomes more difficult to control and vehicles take longer to react to brakes,” said a senior functionary in Transport Department, on condition of anonymity.

He expressed helplessness in controlling the menace on roads due to political interference.