Trucks have free run on National Highway as cops turn a blind eye
By Asish Mehta | Express News Service | Published: 09th October 2017 05:06 AM |
Last Updated: 09th October 2017 08:32 AM | A+A A- |
BHUBANESWAR: The stretch of the National Highway-16 from Palasuni to Pitapali, which comes under the jurisdiction of Commissionerate Police, has turned a free run for the truck drivers. Throwing all the traffic rules to the wind, the speeding trucks have turned killer vehicles causing fatal accidents with impunity as the Commissionerate Police virtually remains blind and mute.
In a such road mishap in Gangapada on Saturday, a young boy was crushed to death under the wheels of a heavy vehicle, while his cousin sister lost both her legs. On Sunday, the truck driver was arrested.
About 20 days back, Commissionerate Police directed Traffic Police headquarters in the Capital to instruct the two interceptors deployed on the highway not to challan truckers driving on right side of the road till adequate banners with the message of driving on the left are displayed.
In 2016, Commissionerate Police had announced that banners written in Odia, Hindi, Bengali and Telugu will be put up along the highway directing the heavy vehicle drivers to keep to the left of the road, but it is yet to be implemented.
As per MVA norms, the vehicles should drive on the left side unless overtaking. Commissionerate Police had also convened a meeting of the members of truck and bus associations in 2016 to inform them about the rule, but it has yielded little success.Similarly, the dress code is also not being adhered to. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (Section 177), it is mandatory for drivers and conductors of commercial vehicles to wear uniform while carrying out their duties. Though the drivers do not wear uniforms, making it easy for them to mingle in the crowd after a mishap, the Commissionerate Police has failed to impose penalty on them.
The two traffic interceptors, bought at a cost of `23 lakh each, are only fining truck drivers for over-speeding, over-loading and using pressure horns, while sparing them for not wearing uniforms, driving without a co-pilot, among others.
In 2016, Commissionerate Police had announced that banners written in Odia, Hindi, Bengali and Telugu will be put up along the highway directing the heavy vehicle drivers to keep to the left of the road, but it is yet to be implemented
