TURA: Meghalaya Police intercepted and detained at least 15 Bhutanese trucks near Rongsai in the West Garo Hills district for carrying excessive loads on Sunday. These vehicles were en route to Bangladesh to export boulders.
Residents had expressed concern over the frequent violation of weight limits by Bhutanese trucks, often exceeding 40-50 metric tonnes. Despite repeated warnings, these trucks continued to overload, causing significant damage to roads and infrastructure.
A recent incident highlighted the severity of the issue when a bridge near Hallidayganj collapsed due to the excessive weight of these trucks. Following this, the administration temporarily halted export operations through the AMPT road. However, the problem resurfaced as the trucks started using the Paikan-Tura-Dalu National Highway 51, violating load limits and disrupting residents.
To address the issue, the West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police, Abraham T Sangma, has instructed all officers to enforce weight limits strictly. The District Magistrate has permitted only 3-axle trucks for boulder exports from Bhutan. Authorities will send back the seized trucks and continue to monitor the situation to prevent future violations.
Residents have urged stricter enforcement of traffic laws to protect roads and ensure the safety of commuters. They also raised concerns about the significant revenue generated by these overloaded trucks, which often bypass legal checkpoints and pay bribes to facilitate their transit.
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