Saleem Javed
Sri Vijaya Puram, September 3: Members of the Truck and Pickup Cargo Association today organized a peaceful protest in front of the Transport Office, Ferrargunj, highlighting the difficulties faced by truck and pickup owners due to the current weighbridge and overloading enforcement system in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
A large number of truck and pickup owners participated in the protest and submitted a memorandum containing several demands aimed at improving transport infrastructure, ensuring fair enforcement, and enhancing road safety across the Islands.
Among the key demands was the establishment of a Government-operated weighbridge at Sri Vijaya Puram, where the majority of commercial vehicles are loaded. The association stated that such a facility would enable transporters to verify vehicle weight before commencing their journey and help prevent unintentional overloading.
The transporters also sought the suspension of mandatory weighment and enforcement actions at the private weighbridge located at Mile Tilak until a Government weighbridge is established near the principal loading hub. According to the association, the existing weighbridge is situated nearly 50 kilometres away from major loading points, making it difficult, costly, and impractical for transporters to rectify overloaded vehicles after travelling such a long distance.
The memorandum further called for: Establishment of a Government-operated weighbridge at Sri Vijaya Puram; Suspension of mandatory weighment at Mile Tilak until a Government facility is established; Review of the existing Mile Tilak weighbridge arrangement; Proper parking and waiting infrastructure at weighbridge locations; Opportunity for transporters to comply before penalties are imposed; A Government-controlled weighment facility to ensure transparency and fairness; A transparent overloading enforcement and grievance redressal system; Establishment of a Transport Complaint and Monitoring Centre at Sri Vijaya Puram; Time-bound complaint redressal mechanisms; Regular consultation with transport stakeholders; Road safety measures supported by practical enforcement mechanisms; A long-term transport infrastructure plan for the Islands; Equal representation for all transport associations in official meetings and Consideration of a CBM-based assessment system for tipper vehicles carrying aggregates and quarry materials.
At approximately 10:00 AM, representatives of the association were invited to the Secretariat for discussions with senior officials regarding the issues raised during the protest.
During the meeting, the Director of Transport reportedly heard the concerns of the transport community and assured the delegation that necessary steps would be taken to address the matter. The Director agreed in principle to establish a Government-operated weighbridge at Sri Vijaya Puram, enabling transporters to verify vehicle loads before commencing their journeys.
The Director also instructed the concerned department to conduct a detailed inspection of the existing private weighbridge at Mile Tilak to determine whether it has been established and is being operated in accordance with National Highway norms, applicable regulations, and all required statutory clearances.
As an interim relief measure, the Director reportedly directed officials to provide relief to transporters until a fully functional Government weighbridge is installed within the Sri Vijaya Puram Municipal area. Officials noted that the proposed facility would benefit not only transporters operating between South Andaman and North & Middle Andaman but also commercial vehicles operating throughout the Islands.
Representatives of the association welcomed the Administration’s positive response and expressed hope that the promised measures would be implemented at the earliest. They reiterated their commitment to road safety and compliance with legal weight limits while emphasizing the need for practical and transparent enforcement mechanisms supported by adequate infrastructure.
The meeting concluded with assurances that the concerns of the transport sector would be examined further and that steps would be taken towards developing a more efficient, transparent, and fair weighment system for the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
