Overloaded trucks defy ban, endanger life in Jalandhar city

The unchecked movement of overloaded and heavy vehicles during restricted hours has turned city roads into death traps, with the traffic police widely accused of ignoring the escalating danger. Despite repeated accidents in recent months — many of them fatal — enforcement remains either weak or deliberately absent.

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Large trucks, tractor-trailers and tippers are frequently seen on key city roads during the prohibited daytime hours, openly flouting traffic rules.

Residents say these overloaded vehicles not only cause massive traffic jams, but also pose a constant threat to life, especially to two-wheeler riders and pedestrians.

Just a few weeks back, a 25-year-old man was killed near PAP Chowk when a speeding dumper truck struck him from behind and fled the scene. Earlier this month, a schoolchild riding a bicycle was crushed by a truck near Rama Mandi, reigniting public anger over the unchecked menace.

“These overloaded trucks zip past us every morning and evening as if the city belongs to them. We have made numerous complaints, but the traffic police are nowhere to be seen when these vehicles openly violate the law,” said Amanpreet Singh, a resident of Model Town.

Residents point out that despite multiple accidents, including the death of a 12-year-old girl near Pathankot Chowk a few months back, no serious action has been taken to curb the problem. Dangerous zones such as Nakodar Road, Kapurthala Road, Lamba Pind Chowk and Workshop Chowk remain hotspots for accidents involving heavy vehicles.

Industrialists say the situation is deteriorating as many transporters have shifted their loading points and offices away from the designated Transport Nagar to busy urban pockets like the Industrial Area and Patel Chowk, severely increasing congestion on city roads.

“Transport Nagar was developed to decongest the city, but it’s now almost abandoned. Illegal parking and unregulated truck movement are choking our roads,” said a businessman from the Industrial Area.

Social activist Mohit Sharma criticised the police for its hollow claims. “The police announced no-tolerance zones, but they have failed miserably to enforce them. Heavy trucks move fearlessly under the nose of the authorities,” he said.

Meanwhile, traffic police officials maintained that special drives to crack down on overloaded and illegally operating heavy vehicles are underway. “We are regularly issuing challans and impounding vehicles,” said a senior official.