The lack of cohesive action by two key enforcement agencies, the police and the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD), has resulted in most cases of blatant overloading by goods carriers going undetected in Kerala, despite its grave implications on the safety of road users and the durability of roads.
The issue is once again in the limelight, with the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) netting over ₹10 lakh as fine from 84 heavily overloaded lorries in ‘Operation Overload’ that its personnel carried out recently. The VACB claimed that it embarked on the special drive targeting overloaded lorries in the wake of widespread complaints of lorries, including those that carry wooden logs, ferrying over double the permitted weight. It also singled out MVD personnel for letting overloaded vehicles proceed after levying a ‘namesake’ fine amount.
