Hyderabad: RTA gears up to procure trucks for Ganesh idol immersion

On an average, the demand would be for 40,000 to 50,000 trailers and heavy trucks under the GHMC limits during idol immersion, but officials estimate the demand to go up this time

Hyderabad: As the city gears up for Vinayaka Chaturthi festivities this year, the Road Transport Authority (RTA) is making necessary arrangements.

On an average, the demand would be for 40,000 to 50,000 trailers and heavy trucks under the GHMC limits during idol immersion, but officials estimate the demand to go up this time. Due to the increase in demand, Ganesh pandal organisers are expecting the hiring costs of vehicles for processions to go up sharply.

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Usually, during the festivities, apart from the vehicles in the city, several others from States including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and even Haryana and Bihar are booked by the organisers.

It is learnt that the RTA authorities intend to put a check on such illegal entries which could impact the local vehicle owners.

Since the past one week, the Transport Department is learnt to have lined up nearly 5,000 vehicles of all categories from across the zones of the city including at Khairatabad, Nagole, Attapur, Uppal and Medchal office areas.

With only a week to go for the festivities to begin, officials have intensified procurement. They have also assured the police of providing heavy vehicles for procession and already started requisition for vehicles to be pooled at multiple centres which are to be staffed by RTOs, MVIs.

Every year, problems are faced due to vehicles provided by the RTA falling short of the demand during idol immersion and pandal organisers approach private individuals for trucks and trailers. And due to the high demand, truckers raise the charges. While the RTA fixes charges ranging from Rs 1,000 to Rs 25,000 for vehicles ranging from auto trolleys to trailers, the private lorry drivers demand more. The heavy vehicle owners from the city have raised concerns that the RTA authorities fixing lower rates for immersion could lead to losses for truck owners.