Date:19/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/06/19/stories/2006061900170601.htm

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Our Bureau

To what extent does AIMTC enforce road safety measures?

The All India Motor Transport Congress has reasons to feel proud of its dominant position in the country's road transport sector. It claims to represent 27 lakh heavy commercial vehicles, another 5.5 lakh light commercial vehicles, 1.5 lakh transport companies and 3,750 goods transport associations all over the country. Truly enviable. But what is surprising is that this apex body, despite the strength it claims to command, has not been able to do much to curb overloading.

Last November, the Supreme Court had ordered that no trucks and other goods vehicles shall carry weight in excess of the prescribed limit. It may be interesting to know what measures have been initiated by the AIMTC in the past few months to ensure that the apex court's order is enforced in letter and spirit.

How is overloading determined? How many cases of overloading have been detected among AIMTC members? How many vehicles have been brought to book for violation of the Supreme Court order? It would be rash to claim that none of the AIMTC member vehicles indulges in overloading.