Many unaware of tonnage limits on NH-37
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 23 2020: Oblivious to the tonnage limits imposed on vehicles plying on NH-37 (Imphal-Jiribam highway), large trucks with excessive loads sometime come to the highway.

Talking with The Sangai Express, some transporters said that sometimes large trucks with excessive loads come to the highway and the drivers came to know that trucks heavier than 24 tonnes are prohibited on the highway only after reaching the bridges which connect the highway, thereby causing many problems.

It is possible that the driver of the truck (tipper) who fell into Irang River along with the truck as Irang Bridge snapped in the middle on November 1 did not know tonnage limit or the prohibition, the transporters opined.

The driver carrying sand from Dimapur through Imphal was later found dead even though the handyman survived by a whisker.

In order to avoid such fatal accidents, signboards which clearly display the tonnage limit of 24 tonnes must be put at different locations along the highway between Imphal and Keithelmanbi and at Jiribam.

Police too need to keep a close eye on the heavy trucks approaching the highway, the transporters said.

The main reason for imposing the tonnage limit of 24 tonnes (including weight of trucks) is the worn out and shaky bridges.

Such tonnage limits imposed on a National Highway should be for a very brief period.

However the prohibition imposed on Imphal-Jiribam highway is rather becoming a permanent one, they remarked.

On the other hand, trucks which are capable of carrying loads heavier than 24 tonnes have been plying on the road by reducing their loads from the actual capacity.

But they have been paying taxes to the tune of their actual capacity, they pointed out.

One high-ranking official of Transport Department told The Sangai Express that there is a standing order which limits tonnage of trucks plying on Imphal-Jiribam highway to 24/25 tonnes but many District Transport Officers (DTOs) have not been complying with the order fully.

As an order had been issued which limits the tonnage of trucks to 24/25 tonnes, owners of trucks which can carry much heavier loads and have already registered their trucks should apply to the Transport Department with a declaration that they would transport loads within the tonnage limit, said the official.

If they do not submit any such application, it is only natural for the Transport Department to levy taxes to the tune of the actual capacity of trucks, he said.

As the order limiting tonnage to 25 tonnes was already there, trucks which can carry 15 tonnes were not registered.

When trucks which can carry 15 tonnes are registered, the combined weight of the truck and its carrying capacity comes to 24/25 tonnes.

If any truck owner is paying excess tax, he must apply to reduce it, said the Transport official.

Moreover, exemption is being provided from March to December this year.

No tax is collected for this period.

In accordance with an instruction from the Government of India, no vehicle tax nor fitment permit fee is collected.

As a result, the department is losing a revenue of over Rs 40 crore, he added.

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