Overloaded trucks wreak havoc on Himachal roads

The unchecked movement of overloaded trucks on state and national highways has become a grave concern, causing severe damage to infrastructure and violating the Motor Vehicles Act. Despite the provisions of the law and the installation of weighing machines at interstate barriers, the lack of enforcement by state agencies has allowed this menace to grow unchecked.

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Trucks carrying cement, marble, clinker, tiles, steel, and other construction materials routinely exceed the prescribed limit of 15 tonnes, with many carrying loads of up to 25 tonnes. The situation is particularly dire in areas near stone crushers, where overloading is rampant and unregulated.

Official sources reveal that over 40,000 trucks, tippers, and dumpers belonging to cement plants, stone crushers, and other industries ply daily on state and national highways. The damage to roads, culverts, and bridges is particularly evident on major routes such as: Kalka-Shimla (Hindustan Tibet Road), Kiratpur-Manali, Shimla-Kangra, Pathankot-Mandi, Kangra-Una-Chandigarh and Pathankot-Chamba.

These highways were designed to withstand loads up to 15 tonnes, but the consistent overloading is leading to accelerated deterioration, forcing the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the Public Works Department (PWD) to bear heavy repair and maintenance costs.

Although high-cost weighing machines have been installed at interstate barriers, most are either non-functional or not used by officials. This has led to over 90 per cent of trucks carrying loads beyond the permissible limits. Authorities’ inaction has allowed the problem to persist, worsening the state of the roads.

States like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have successfully tackled the issue of overloaded trucks. They have enforced strict penalties, with fines starting at Rs 10,000 for violations. Advanced weighing machines are mandatory at all interstate barriers, and these are manned by District Transport Officers to ensure compliance.

State Transport Minister Mukesh Agnihotri acknowledged the issue and assured action. He stated that Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) and police officials across the state would be directed to intensify checks on overloaded vehicles. However, until concrete measures are implemented, the damage to infrastructure is likely to continue unabated.

Experts warn that without stricter enforcement, the state’s road infrastructure will continue to deteriorate, causing inconvenience to commuters and increasing financial losses. Locals and transport organisations urge the government to adopt practices from other states to address the issue effectively.