Put brakes on overloaded trucks

Uttarakhand high court while hearing a public interest litigation on overloaded trucks in hilly routes on Friday ordered the regional transport officers of Kumaon division to start a drive to check overloading and present their report by November 29.

Uttarakhand high court while hearing a public interest litigation on overloaded trucks in hilly routes on Friday ordered the regional transport officers of Kumaon division to start a drive to check overloading and present their report by November 29.

The PIL also said that overloaded trucks are unable to navigate narrow roads smoothly and pose risk of accidents.

The court was hearing a PIL filed by Sunder Singh Mehra, a resident of Nianital, which alleged that a truck is allowed to carry 90 quintal of goods but many of the heavy vehicles were ferrying more than 200 quintal of goods damaging roads and bridges in the hills.

Shakti Singh, counsel for the petitioner, told TOI, “The court asked the RTOs of Kumaon division to take action against overloading of trucks and present a report by November 29.”

The petition alleged, “Heavy vehicles create pollution which is dangerous to wildlife. The vehicles carrying cargo also destroy hilly roads and damage bridges in the hills, which are the lifeline of villages.”

The PIL also said that overloaded trucks are unable to navigate narrow roads smoothly and pose risk of accidents.

Singh told TOI that there is no check post available within Kumaon to stop overloaded trucks from entering.

“This is a very serious issue and it may lead to accidents, bridge collapse or damage retaining walls in the hills,” he said.