12 trucks seized for overloading, speeding on Gurugram’s peripheral road

Drivers of at least 12 dumpers were arrested over on Wednesday and Thursday for allegedly overloaded the vehicles and speeding on the Golf Course Extension Road. The police said they have decided to crack down on errant drivers after receiving complaints from the residents of the area.

The police said the drivers were arrested for rash driving and damaging public property, besides endangering human lives and inconveniencing commuters.

Rajesh Kumar, deputy commissioner of police (Manesar), said they had received multiple complaints from residents of sectors 49, 69 and 71 that drivers of trucks on the SPR, going towards the developing sectors near Kherki Daula, often violate traffic rules. “Many residents had also sent pictures of these trucks, whose number plates were deliberately tainted or painted over to ensure they cannot be identified,” he said.

Police said the trucks are overloaded with construction material, which is generally ferried from the Aravallis to Faridabad and neighbouring areas. They were ferrying stones beyond the permissible limit, the police said.

The trucks are only allowed to carry up to 25 tonnes, but several of them were found carrying materials weighing more than 70 tonnes, the police said.

Kumar said they have registered cases under Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (PDPP), 1984, and Section 58 of the Motor Vehicle Act and 12 drivers of the vehicles were arrested and their vehicles seized for the violations.

Police said that although mining is banned in the Faridabad belt and Aravallis for the past many years, the dumpers enter the city from various non-motorable points.

“The stretch has many schools and is one of the busiest roads. Parents feel unsafe driving, as many accidents have already been reported. These trucks have been plying, unabashed, day and night for many years. In many instances, the vehicles were unidentifiable as they either didn’t have a number plate or they were painted over so as to avoid identification in case of an accident of traffic violation,” said Digvijay Singh, a resident of Sector 49.

Trucks are only allowed to ply on roads between 11pm and 5am. However, residents alleged that they continue to ply throughout the day.

“We have seen police personnel standing and watching the trucks passing by. Police have done little to curb this menace. The condition of the roads is pathetic due to these overloaded trucks,” said Bhawna Yadav, a resident of Tulip Orange in Sector 69.

The police said the drive will continue for an indefinite period and in case a truck is found plying during the day, action will be taken against the police official concerned.