French eye will keep track of overloading

Tools To Identify Trucks Loaded Beyond Permissible Level
Priyanka Talwar 

    NO MORE overloading of vehicles will be allowed on Indian roads if a
government plan materialises. According to the plan, French machines will
track overweight vehicles and stop them from plying on roads. The government
is importing weigh-in motion machines from France to identify goods carriers
loaded beyond the permissible level.

    "The first such machine will be installed in the Delhi-Mumbai stretch,"
Vijay Singh, secretary, road transport & highways, told ET. India has
already acquired five such vehicles and orders for eight more have been
placed. Overloading has been one of the major issues affecting the road
quality. In spite of a Supreme Court directive to ban overloading, vehicles
have been openly flouting the order.

    Transporters say that even the imported machines would not have any
impact on freight rates. "While the Centre is installing machines, it is up
to the state governments to implement it. Overloading will continue as both
the state as well as transport officers have vested interests. While the
state will get revenue in terms of fines, officials will be happily
pocketing bribes," All India Confederation of Goods Vehicles Owners
Association vice-president Chittranjan Dass said.

    The government is, however, positive about the outcome. "The first such
machine will be installed only in 4-5 months. The National Highways
Authority of India (NHAI) is identifying the locations for the
 installation," Mr Singh said.

    Highways are designed for a particular load. The damaging effect of
higher axle loading than the standard axle would damage the road. An
increase in axle load from 8 tonnes to 16 tonnes results in damaging to road
by a factor of 16.

    "The amount of damage caused to road infrastructure and life expectancy
of the road due to overloading far outweighs any short-term gain," a source
in transport ministry said. An overloaded vehicle causes higher pollution
besides inflicting high vehicle operating costs. Overloading is a potential
hazard not only to the driver of the vehicle, but to other road users as
well.

    The installation of imported machines are not free from worries.
Overloaded vehicles, which are detected by the weigh-in motion machine,
would require parking space as well as storage facilities for the goods they
carry. In addition, perishable goods would require cold storage facilities.



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