The ban imposed by the district administration on tipper lorries carrying more than 25 tonnes of goods on the Thamarassery Ghat Road has turned ineffective with the absence of a proper weight checking mechanism at the entry point. Though majority of the goods carriers on the route are carrying quarry products violating the permitted capacity, the police are forced to take drivers into confidence during inspections.
“The police conduct surprise checks on the route only on rare occasions and it never trace the real culprits who operate overloaded trucks. To keep drivers accountable, a weighbridge is a must somewhere near Adivaram,” says Abeesh Baby, member of a local environment protection committee at Thamarassery. He points out that overloaded trucks are causing difficulties to other motorists on the route and unwanted congestions on hairpin bends.
Ghat Road Protection Committee members say the demand to strictly control the entry of overloaded trucks is yet to be taken up seriously by authorities. Though the district administration recently imposed fresh curbs on trucks for two hours in the morning and evening, it will make no change unless it is enforced strictly by the police, they say.
Meanwhile, officials attached to the Public Works Department say the weighbridge will be a reality on the Ghat Road as a special fund of ₹10 lakh for it has already been promised by M.I. Shanawaz, MP, from his local development fund. It will definitely be set up somewhere near Adivaram, they say.
Revenue Department officials who imposed new restrictions on overloaded trucks on the route following the direction of the District-level Disaster Management Authority say many proactive measures are in place for the protection of the Ghat Road. Step by step, we will be able to address the concerns, including the widening of the existing roads in congested hairpins, they say.