‘Traffic Police Charging Unauthorised Amount on Cargo Vehicles’

  2 min 24 sec to read
‘Traffic Police Charging Unauthorised Amount on Cargo Vehicles’

April 9: Strict implementation of transportation regulation has become an excuse for traffic police to collect “unauthorised amount” from cargo trucks along the Bara-Parsa industrial corridor.

According to the Heavy Vehicles Load Inspection Directives 2074, vehicles exceeding the load capacity set by the government will be fined. Traffic police can impose a fine between Rs 1000 to Rs 1500 for a lorry. The vehicles can move ahead only after unloading the extra load.

However, traffic police deployed for inspection have been allegedly charging unauthorised amount on cargo vehicles violating the rule and letting them off the hook. Once they pay under the table, the vehicles no longer have to unload the goods, according to an office bearer of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce, who did not want to be named.

“It is better to bribe the police than pay the fine. Transport entrepreneurs do not need to shift the extra load to another vehicle if they bribe the officials,” said the source.

He said that the transport entrepreneurs prefer giving bribe to the traffic police instead of following the law as it is easier for them to do so.

According to the law, a 14-wheeler can carry up to 27 metric tons of load while a lorry can carry up to 30 metric tons. Likewise, the transporters need to take prior permission to carry goods that cannot be dismantled into small parts. Around 45 to 50 overloaded vehicles pass through the road section from Birgunj Dry Port on a daily basis. Himalayan Terminal, the operator of the dry port, informed New Business Age that most of the lorries carrying metals and coil carry more than 60 metric tons of goods.

Himalayan Terminal further stated that 35 lorries carrying metals and 65 carrying clinkers enter Nepal every day. Almost all of them carry raw materials double their capacity.

Informed sources told NBA that only the vehicles which do not collude with the traffic police are sent to the Transport Management Office for action.

Upendra Mahato, acting chief of Birgunj Transport Management Office said it is the duty of traffic police to unload the extra goods.

“Our job is only to take action as per the documents forwarded by the police,” he said.

SP Yog Bahadur Pal of Province 2 Traffic Police Office, Pathlaiya, hesitated to speak on the issue.

“This issue falls on the department of traffic police spokesperson. You should ask him,” said Pal. Inspector Ritendra Kumar Singh, spokesperson at the Traffic Police Office, said it is just an allegation by some traders who were denied carrying extra load. He further said that traffic police cannot charge more than Rs 1,500.

“We will take action if they are found taking extra amount,” he added.

 

No comments yet. Be the first one to comment.