ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

Question No - 129
:
Answered Date : 23-02-2010
Subject : OVERLOADING ON NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

 

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS be pleased to state:-


(a) whether the Government/NHAI has formulated/proposes to formulate an action plan to address the overloading of trucks on the National Highways; 

(b) if so, the details thereof and the norms fixed/likely to be fixed regarding the carriage capacity of heavy and light vehicles plying on the National Highways; 

(c) the details of the action taken/proposed to be taken against violators of such norms; 

(d) whether the Government/NHAI has conducted any study on the reasons for the large scale accidents due to overloading by trucks and the failure to check such violation on the National Highways; and 

(e) if so, the details thereof alongwith the steps taken by the Government/NHAI for the introduction of modern technology including weigh-in-motion system to check such violations?
ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS (SHRI MAHADEO SINGH KHANDELA) 

(a) to (c) The Gross Vehicle Weight of various categories of motor vehicles has already been notified vide SO 728(E) dated 18.10.1996 and 517 (E) dated 26.5.2000. Every motor vehicle is required to adhere to the specified load ceiling. Moreover. there are adequate provisions in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 to check overloading of motor vehicles. Enforcement of these provisions rests with the State Governments. Hon’ble Supreme Court in its order dated 9.11.2005 in the matter of Shri Paramjit Bhasin and Others Vs Union of India & Others (W.P. No. 136/2003) held that in case a vehicle is found to be overloaded, the excess load needs to be offloaded besides levy of penalty in terms of the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The State Governments/UTs have been advised from time to time to implement the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and ensure compliance of the order of Hon’ble Supreme Court to check overloading of motor vehicles. 

(d) No such specific study has been conducted. 

(e) The Ministry has procured 13 Nos. of weigh-in-motion –cum-Automatic Traffic Counter cum Classifiers (ATCCs) for installation on National Highways for controlling overloading. In addition, National Highways Authority of India has signed a contract with M/s. IRDI-IRDSA Consortium for supply, installation , commissioning, operation and maintenance of Weigh-in- motion systems at selected five locations on National Highways namely, Garui toll plaza, Panvel toll plaza, Samakhiyali, Agnampudi toll plaza, Bankapur toll plaza on NH-2, NH-4 & 4B, NH-8A, NH-5 and NH-4 respectively.