NEW DELHI: In a bid to curb the growing menace of overloaded vehicles, which pose a serious risk to public safety on the roads, government is moving towards making the installation of an ‘onboard weighing’ system mandatory for goods and heavy vehicles. This move, announced by the ministry of road transport to the Lok Sabha last week, will mark a significant step toward ensuring safer and a more regulated road transport system in the country.
A device with sensors will be fitted in vehicles and the exact load will be automatically displayed on their dashboard. Sources said several entities, including vehicle manufacturers, are working on developing this new device. The focus is on finding how accurately the device can measure the load in goods vehicles.
“This will help enforcement agencies to check whether any vehicle is flouting the maximum load which it’s allowed to carry. They can quickly compare the load displayed on the console and the allowed weight as per the registration certificate of the vehicle for initiating action. There will be no scope for manipulation,” a source said.
Overloading of vehicles is one of the main reasons for fatal road deaths and damage to roads. In 2023, around 12,000 people were killed in road crashes.
While introducing the automated system will be a deterrent against overloading, enforcement of motor vehicle rules against the practice is more crucial. The amended Motor Vehicle Act, 2019, specifies that overloaded vehicles will not be allowed to move before “such excess load is removed” by the driver.
Sources said this provision is hardly enforced, and authorities find it easier to slap fines and allow such vehicles to ply. “This neither addresses the issue of safety nor damages to roads. Easy information of exact load and stricter enforcement put together can curb the menace,” an official said.
