Weighbridge at all ferry terminals planned

The government has decided to install weighbridge scales at all the ferry terminals for detecting the overloading of vehicles that use ferries so that service charges can be realised from them based on the load, officials said.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTA) under the ministry of shipping on January 3 and December 27 in 2013 installed four weighbridge scales on test before both ways of Mawa-Charjannat and Paturia-Doulatdia routes at a cost of Tk 37.55 million.
The load weighing earned around Tk 8.0 million in additional fares every month from both ways of ferry services at each of the terminals.
There are five points where the BIWTC is currently operating ferry service: Chandpur-Shariatpur, Bhola-Laxsmipur, Larhat-Vaduria, Mawa-Charjannat and Paturia -Douladia.
Weighbridge scale is a large set of scales, usually used to weigh entire rail or road vehicles and their contents.
BIWTC Chairman Md Mizanur Rahman said there was an option of ferry services to impose charge based on weight of carriers. But, due to absence of such scales, the office had been deprived of a large amount of royalties for long.
"Now we are happy with the increased amount of income from the ferry services and decided to install the same types of scales before all other ferry ghats across the country," he added.
According to him, weighbridge scales for Chandpur-Shariatpur ferry ghat reached Chittagong seaport from Holland and procurement of some more scales was under process to install at other ferry ghats.
"After installation of weighbridge scales before all the ferry ghats, income of the office will increase significantly and we will be able to think of more charity in other services where private operators do not want to do business," Mr Rahman told the FE.
"Besides, installation of weighbridge scales will also establish proper justice to the carriers," he informed.
However, a general manager of BIWTC, preferring anonymity, said income from the services could be more than double if the authority could charge the carriers according to the office's existing ceiling.
According to the present ceiling, a carrier with weight up to 11 tonnes could avail ferry services with a charge of Tk 1,460 to Tk 1,850, depending on routes. But after installation of the scales the government increased the highest limit of weight up to 23.5 tonnes in the face of opposition from the private transport operators. And it lessened their expected amount of additional incomes from the services.
After installation of the scales, the BIWTC charges Tk 157 to the carriers for each tonne of extra weight in their vehicles.
"If the government had not increased the weight limit, the income from the services would have doubled," the general manager said.
Meanwhile, another high official of the corporation, preferring anonymity, said some dishonest persons with the connivance of a section of BIWTC officials are active to make the scales inoperative for their unholy interest.
According to him, a group of dishonest along with a section of BIWTC officials several times had made the weighbridge scales dysfunctional to prove installation of the scales unrealistic mainly for their personal gain.
"We will urge all officials concerned of the BIWTC and other stakeholders to be alert to save the state property in greater interest of the country," he added.