ISLAMABAD, Sept 7: The government has decided to impose a fine of Rs10,000 to Rs20,000 on trucks for overloading and similar other violations of the National Highway Safety Ordinance (NHSO), a senior government official told Dawn. He said earlier the fine was limited to a ceiling of Rs500- 1,000 but now it has been raised to Rs10,000 to Rs20,000 by the federal cabinet which met last week.

The move is a part of a number of amendments in the NHSO 2000 approved by the cabinet. Police has also been authorized to off-road the violating vehicles and empowered the federal government to amend any entry in the schedules of the ordinance as and when required without resorting to amendments in the main statute.

Some other measures approved were effective enforcement of axle overload control, gradual phasing out of two-axle trucks, rationalization of customs duty on the import of multi-axle freight carriers, enlarging the network of weigh stations, advising the provincial governments to implement Motor Vehicles Ordinance 1965 effectively and launching of an awareness and publicity campaign in the print and electronic media.

The implementation of the decision was withheld till finalisation of schedule of phasing out overloading and two-axle trucks owing to an expected reaction from truck drivers and transporters community at a time the opposition was mobilization of the people against the government.

For this purpose, a committee comprising ministers for communication, education, food and livestock and railways would prepare a phase out schedule and get it approved from the prime minister.

The cabinet had also decided that a national energy conservation campaign should also be evolved and launched to create awareness among the masses about the economical and conservative use of energy resources including fuel, gas and electricity to absorb the impact of continuous rise in international fuel prices on the economy.

The amendments to the NHSO 2000 were proposed by the National Highway Authority to restrict the trucks to their permissible load. On immediate basis, a fine of Rs10,000 would be imposed on freight carriers up to five per cent overload, Rs15,000 for up to 10 per cent load and Rs20,000 on 15 per cent overload.

Similarly, a fine of Rs10,000 per ton excess load would also be imposed on goods forwarding agencies and factories and the licenses of goods forwarding agencies would be cancelled on third violation. For overload in excess of 15 per cent permissible limit, the vehicles would be impounded. At present, only a fine of Rs100 is applicable on overload and hence become ineffective practically.

The provincial governments would be directed under the law to develop similar Axle Overload Control Regimes at the provincial level as a complementary but essential measure, as a part of the “National Axle Overload Control” implementation framework.

The sources said Pakistan’s road and highway infrastructure was over stressed by about 67 per cent excess tonnage which could only be mitigated through additional transport units. This could be gauged from the fact that a two-axle truck in Pakistan carries a load equivalent of 22 similar trucks in the United States which results in rutting of roads.

The sources said the government also plans to introduce a comprehensive package for the road transport to attract foreign investors to Pakistan’s transportation system and restrict overloading vehicles to ply on roads.