The Hindu : Truckers resist excess loading

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 25, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Truckers resist excess loading

By Feroze Ahmed

CHENNAI APRIL 24. With the 10-day strike by truckers ending last night, transporters for most of the day today were locked in a battle with contractors, who were forcing them to overload to make up for the lost time and money.

In the Salt Cotaurs loading bay here, where more than 15,000 tonnes of grains and cement were waiting to be cleared, association members said consignees and their contractors were forcing lorry owners to load above permissible limits.

Overloading is an offence, which could invite a fine and unloading, and result in a huge loss, says M. Baskar, president, Chennai Thuraimugam Anna Lorry Owners' Association.

It would also result in faster wear and tear of vehicles, says Mr. Baskar, adding that six-wheeled lorries could load up to nine tonnes and 10-wheeled vehicles up to 16 tonnes.

Ironically, transport associations, who stand to profit from overloading, claimed they extended support to the Government and pleaded with it to take action against excess loading, but their plea was ignored. Today, they took it upon themselves to monitor the situation and inform the police of lorries flouting rules. Authorities issued a warning that overloaded vehicles would be unloaded.

This commotion apart, lorries swarmed highways after the strike was called off, and by afternoon, about 3,000 vehicles started from Chennai and another 10,000 were waiting to load stocks. The Poonamallee High Road stretch was clogged with vehicles from both directions.

Lorries swarm highways

Meanwhile, the construction industry recovered from the slump of the past few days, as lorries started delivering construction material, said V.S.Yuvaraj, president, Madras Lorry Owners' Association.

However, the strike took its toll on seafood, essential drugs, eggs, poultry and food grains, which started rotting, said R.Sugumar, president, Lorry Owners' Associations Welfare Committee.

It would take about four or five days to clear the stocks at Salt Cotaurs.

There was intense activity at the Chennai port, as clearing agents and customers were anxiously waiting for consignments.

Authorities were fully geared to speed up clearance.

But trade and industry were worried about possible demurrage charges, as some goods remained locked for over a week.

The end of the strike also meant a drastic fall in fruit and vegetable prices at the Koyambedu market.

During the strike, wholesalers transported perishables in vans and buses, though in moderate numbers, which resulted in prices shooting up.

With the market getting flooded with fruits and vegetables since yesterday night, the prices came down by almost half the price of the past 10 days, said C. Srinivas, president, Fruit Market Association. With the onset of season for several fruits, the prices would go down further, he said.

"But there is hardly any demand to meet the supply now."

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