As the authorities concerned find it hard to contain the damage being caused to national roads and highways by overloaded trucks and container carriers. Japan has showed interest to help improve the situation through proper operation and management of axle load control stations.
Sources said during a meeting with the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges (MoRTB) in September last, a mission of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) expressed its interest to extend support for capacity building of axle load control stations. The JICA also suggested the launching of a pilot project in this connection.
A JICA mission is likely to arrive here soon to carry out further work on the issue, they added.
They said the meeting agreed in principle to improve its management and operation with engaging stakeholders concerned including MoRTB, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and Highway Police.
In the meeting, decision was taken to take harsher long-term measures and formulate an appropriate policy to stop overloading.
The RHD officials said JICA will help the RHD in setting up 29 more axle load control stations at strategic points aiming to check overloading at all entry points.
The department has taken steps to impose fine on vehicles for overloading, but achieved a very limited success.
There is also a lack of uniformity in maximum load measurement at stations as load allowed by RHD to cross the Meghna and Meghna-Gumti does not match with load standards set for Bangabandhu Bridge by Bangladesh Bridge Authority.
The meeting suggested that all stakeholders engaged in overloading should be brought to book as not only drivers but also vehicle owners and shippers get involved in the process.
It proposed setting up new axle load control stations with permanent weighbridges or provision to take weight in motions which will also help reduce traffic congestion national highways.
As RHD is facing difficulties in checking overloading, roads and highways get damaged across the country.
Though MoRTB introduced fines for overloading, it is yet to impose fines due to pressure from different quarters, mainly from the container transport owners association.
According to JICA, damage caused to the road network is more than doubled when a goods-laden vehicle carries 20 per cent higher than its allowable limit. The limit is set as per the number of wheels. Overloading causes damage to bridges more than roads.
The MoRTB formulated an axle load policy in August 2016 and introduced fines with permission from the Ministry of Finance for protecting road infrastructure from unwanted damage.
The MoRTB, however, failed to enforce fines for overloading, although its deadline expired in April this year.
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