Truckers have alleged that corrupt motor vehicle inspectors were encouraging a mafia to divide them for weakening their campaign against overloading started a month ago.
Truckers have alleged that corrupt motor vehicle inspectors were encouraging a mafia to divide them for weakening their campaign against overloading started a month ago.
“When we started the campaign, motor vehicle inspectors started stopping the trucks carrying building materials to extract huge bribe,” said S Anand, president of Karnataka Truckers Forum (KTF) on Tuesday.
These inspectors sent their henchmen to fine the trucks transporting building materials and misinform their owners that owners of trucks carrying consumer goods had extorted money from them, he said.
“Recently, near Nelamangala RTO, some truck owners were observing the campaign when one truck overloaded with consumer goods came that way. They immediately asked the motor vehicle inspector who happened to be there to catch hold of the truck. But he did not,” he said.
Anand recalled some unruly scenes after a motor vehicle inspector’s henchmen misinformed owners of trucks carrying building material that another group carrying consumer goods extorted money from them.
The motor vehicle department was creating its own mafia to extract more bribes, he said. KTF members claimed that motor vehicle inspectors extorted up to Rs15,000 as bribe apart from fine for overloading. The stricter their campaign against overloading, the more will be the bribe amount, they said.
KTF said their campaign would help in countering the cascading effect overloading would have on truckers. “Forty percent of truckers who are idle (because of overloading) are forced to quote 35% less rates for loading and transporting goods which creates an unhealthy competition among truck owners,” he said.
Overloading also causes wearing of tyres before such trucks complete 1 lakh km. Prices of tyres have gone up from Rs36,000 to Rs40,000 per pair. According to a KTF survey, about 80% trucks on city roads are overloaded.
The forum is being supported by Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners Association, Federation of Karnataka Lorry Owners and Agents Association, Karnataka Goods Transport Association, Bangalore City Lorry Transport Agents Association and Karnataka Goods Vehicles and Transports Association.
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