Even as the number of motor vehicles and the amount of related revenue have increased in Jharsuguda district since industrialisation process began in the year 2000, the transport business has been negatively impacted due to the current industrial meltdown.
Public life appears to be greatly affected by such increase in the number of vehicles as the number of road accidents and casualties thereof have also increased, comparatively.
During the last decade, while registration of vehicles in the district increased three times, transport revenue rose to six times. Unfortunately, registration of big four wheelers and heavy vehicles has considerably gone down unlike two-wheelers. Slowdown in industry sector has been the major cause for such decrease.
That apart, traffic problem has been multifold due to vehicles of not only Jharsuguda district, but other neighbouring districts and States passing through this district. As against registration of 2,463 vehicles in 2003-04, it has touched 12, 642 in 2015-16. likewise, the collection of transport revenue in 2015-16 also has become 31.21 crore as against 4.6 crore in 2003-04.
Sources said that coal is being supplied from the open cast mines of the MCl by road to various steel, sponge iron and thermal power plants and other industries of the district and outside it. As such, the transport business has been increased due to exchange of iron ore and coal by the neighbouring Sundargarh, Sambalpur and Keonjhar districts.
Sources further said that every year, around 60 to 70 per cent two-wheelers are being registered in the district, while the rest figures goes to four-wheelers and heavy vehicles . From this, the transport revenue is greatly seen to be affected due to less registration of heavy vehicles in the district.
Jharsuguda RTO DK Singh said industrial slowdown has affected transport business in the district and, thus, registration of heavy motor vehicles has decreased.