TDC appeals
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 09 2018:
Transporters and Drivers Council (TDC) has appealed to both the Centre and the State Government to take up necessary steps to strengthen Irang, Makru and Barak bridges as well as to properly implement Central Motor Vehicle Act.
Speaking to media persons at TDC office today, its president H Ranjit said that on May 12 last year, National Highway Authority of India Guwahati, issued an order prohibiting vehicles weighing more than 28 tonnes from crossing Irang, Makru and Barak bridges.
Prior to this, a similar ban had been imposed by the State Transport Department on February 23, 2015.Ranjit further claimed that despite a notification issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in February 2016 prohibiting six wheeler trucks from carrying more than 16.2 tonnes, ten wheeler trucks from carrying more than 25 tonnes and 12 wheeler trucks from carrying more than 31 tonnes, the same has not been applicable in practice due to the weak strength of the three bridges.
Instead of strengthening the bridges, the ban on trucks / vehicles carrying more than 24 tonnes has rendered 25 tonnes and 31 tonnes carrying trucks useless, apart from causing a hindrance regarding the implementation of Central Motor Vehicle Act along the road, Ranjit said and appealed to the authorities concerned to work towards strengthening the bridges as the transporters are also paying taxes to the Government.
He claimed that despite the presence of the statement 'The load class can be increased to 40 tonnes (single vehicle only) by attachment of chord reinforcement to stiffening girder' in the technical manual of GRSE company which is handling the construction works on the bridges, the same is not being followed.
The same was the case when the project was under the BRO On the other hand, NHIDCL also failed to take up any such initiatives till date.
Instead, the authorities concerned are busy imposing various kinds of bans regarding weight limits, he claimed and appealed to the Centre and the State Governments to strengthen the bridges at the earliest.
On the other, Ranjit clarified that the council has no hard feelings regarding the order issued by Tamenglong DC on June 4 and appealed to all the transporters, to refrain from transporting goods and items over the recommended weight limit.