BHUBANESWAR: The State Transport Authority (STA) has planned to launch a six-day long drive against overloading in commercial vehicles from September 19 onwards.As per the STA, around 1,442 accidents took place last year due to overloading in commercial vehicles or carrying protruding materials. At least 673 people were killed, 834 persons seriously injured and 588 sustained minor wounds in accidents involving overloaded vehicles.
The STA has warned it will initiate stringent action against commercial vehicles found flouting the rules and fines will be imposed against the violators under Section 194 (1) of MV Act. Overloading of vehicles will attract a penalty of Rs 20,000 and additional fine of Rs 2,000 will be imposed per extra tonne. The driving licence (DL) of the violators may be disqualified for three months, said the STA.
“The drive will be extensively carried out throughout the State, especially in the regions having industrial and mining activities as it has been observed that many goods vehicles plying in these areas are not complying to the rules and this is leading to accidents,”said Joint Commissioner Transport (road safety), Sanjay Biswal. Hyva trucks, tippers, dumpers and other such vehicles carrying sand, coal ash, chips, and other materials are often found plying by flouting the rules, he added.
STA sources said the drive’s special focus will be given to Rayagada, Balangir, Bargarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Sundargarh, Dhenkanal, Angul, Cuttack, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Balasore, Bhadrak and Khurda districts. The STA had earlier issued 83 e-challans, seized 25 vehicles and suspended 81 DLs of the drivers found to be involved in overloading of goods.