The authorities concerned are yet to implement a recent change to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) 1989 that bans vehicles transporting material protruding beyond the cargo area. The ban comes into force in the wake of a decision of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to delete through a notification the sub-rule (8) of Rule 93 of the CMVR 1989 allowing for loading of any pole, rods or material in a goods vehicle to protrude up to one metre beyond the “rear most point of the vehicle”.
The notification issued more than two weeks ago has reached the Transport and the Police departments in the State. However, the authorities are yet to act against the practice which continues to go on unchecked, putting in danger the lives of motorists and other road users.
According to a non-governmental organisation, Save Life Foundation, which petitioned the Supreme Court seeking an amendment to the CMVR Rules in this connection, 539 persons were killed and 4,127 persons injured in accidents that involved trucks carrying protruding rods and other material in the State during 2009-2011. The foundation has cited data collected through right to information applications.
“The stringent implementation of the amended law is the need of the hour. The authorities should crack down on erring truck owners,” said Piyush Tiwari, president of Save Life Foundation.
B. Dayananda, Additional Commissioner (Traffic), Bangalore, confirmed to The Hindu that the notification has reached the State authorities. He said that the police will, in association with the Transport Department, penalise offenders.
K. Amaranarayana, Transport Commissioner, said that the department will, in collaboration with the local police, first take up a State-wide awareness campaign to educate truck drivers and other stakeholders on the new rule.
He said that the department will start penalising offenders after the awareness campaign ended. He said that only a fine will be imposed on first-time offenders. Their vehicles will be seized in the case of repeated offences.
Another official said that the department will launch the awareness campaign after the Lok Sabha elections.
