'Department taking stern action against overloading'

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, July 17: State Transport Commissioner J Balaji said that written instructions have been issued to the district transport officers (DTOs), in-charge MV check gates for strict enforcement of the Supreme Court's orders on overloading.

He said that on June 8, 2015 a meeting of DTOs, in-charge MV check gates was held wherein strict instructions were issued for curbing overloading. Necessary assistance has been sought from the Commissioner of Police, Guwahati, the deputy commissioners and the superintendents of police for conducting enforcement drives against overloading.

"To emphasize the urgency of curbing overload, a meeting was held with transport operators, truck owners' associations, including the Youth Truck Development (YTD), in presence of the Kamrup (M) Deputy Commissioner, DTOs of Karnrup Metro and Kamrup Rural districts as well the deputy commissioner of police traffic on June 16, 2015," Balaji said, and added: "Specific instructions have been issued from this office directing the cement companies, transport goods carriage operators as well as different transport associations not to indulge in overloading of goods and thereby, not to violate the Supreme Court order and mandatory provision of the MV Act, 1988."

According to Balaji, in last one-and-a-half months massive enforcement drives have been conducted in the entire state, including Guwahati for curbing over loading which have yielded positive results. The issue of action on overloading has been constantly monitored and followed up through Transport Whatsapp as well, he said.

Intensive enforcement drives by the field officials of transport department has resulted in detection of 7,892  Motor Vehicle offence cases in June, 2015 alone, Balaji said. "A total Rs 86,87,325 was realized against 5,958 disposed cases so far. A total of 1,302 cases are still pending for disposal," he added.