Overloaded gravel trucks from Medak quarries raise road safety concerns

Following the Chevella bus accident, residents of Medak have raised concerns over overloaded gravel trucks operating without regulation. With over 2,000 trucks on the move daily, authorities are being urged to enforce safety and curb road damage.

Sangareddy: The recent Chevella bus accident involving a truck carrying gravel has brought to light the lack of monitoring of trucks transporting gravel and other material from crushers and quarries.

Several trucks have been found carrying excess load and almost all of them are seen transporting dust and gravel mixtures without tarpaulin covers.

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These trucks have become a nightmare for two-wheeler riders and other road users, as the flying dust is causing serious eye injuries to many. Nearly 350 quarries and an equal number of crushers are operating in the erstwhile Medak district, and sand-laden trucks are adding to the woes.

Several trucks, numbering nearly 2,000, are transporting gravel and other materials from these units every day, yet the police, Regional Transport Authority and other departments have failed to ensure proper monitoring.

Overspeeding, drunken driving, excess loading and movement of trucks without tarpaulin covers have become the order of the day. During vehicle checks conducted by RTA officials at Patancheru following the Chevella road accident, 14 vehicles were found carrying excess load. In addition, trucks with a loading capacity of up to 25 tonnes are using rural roads meant for only five to 10 tonnes, causing serious damage to the internal road network.

Residents of the erstwhile Medak district have appealed to the authorities to regulate trucks operating from quarries, crushers and sand loading points to curb accidents.