The Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, Mr Alok Ranjan has issued directions to officials concerned that intensive drive should be conducted against overloading of vehicles and stern action should be taken against owners, drivers & commission agents of vehicles violating the rules along with registration of FIR. He said that permit of overloaded vehicles and driving licenses of concerned drivers should be cancelled under Motor Vehicle Act. He said that during the drive, negligent officers would not be spared. Joint teams of Transport and Home departments should conduct the drive under the supervision of District Magistrates in identified 19 districts of State. He directed the Director General of Police, Deputy Inspector Generals, Police, District Magistrates and Police Superintendents to regularly review the progress of the campaign.
The Chief Secretary was reviewing the action to be taken against overloading of vehicles. He said that regular progress report of the drive should be presented by the departments concerned through Public Works Department. He asked the departments of Home and Transport to fix a target to prevent overloading, in coordination with department of Mining and Geology.
Mr Ranjan said that charge-sheets should immediately be filed after investigating the FIRs lodged earlier, so that the accused did not get away. He said that on one hand overloading caused revenue loss and on other it damaged the roads.
Directions have been issued to carryout an intensive drive against overloading in 19 districts linked to minerals, including Allahabad, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Kanpur, Varanasi, Jhansi, Banda, Mahoba, Chitrakoot, Jalaun, Kanpur Rural, Etawah, Moradabad, Rampur, Bijnore, Saharanpur, Mirzapur and Sonebhadra. Transport commissioner – Mr Rajneesh Gupta informed that over the last month, action had been ensured under Motor Vehicles Act by lodging 1100 FIRs and cancellation of 660 permits. Principal Secretary, Public Works Department – Dr Rajneesh Dube and Secretary, Home – Mr Kamal Saxena along with senior officials of related departments were present during the meeting.