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Overloaded trucks of Mangalore

20 August 2008 - 1:44am — silkboard
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Was in Mangalore recently, and witnessed the famous overloaded ming trucks first hand. Can someone from the area enlighten us - how does this thing work? Some questions I got are

  • What are the weight limits for these trucks? Here is what I know. "single axel truck should not carry more than 12 tonnes while the multiple axel and tandem axel trucks should not carry more than 20 tonnes". Correcto?
  • Do the operators need to upgrade trucks (more axels) to carry more load per truck? Basically, go multiple axel? Why is the limit for multiple axel truck capped at 20 tonnes?
  • How does the bribing process work - truck drivers pay at each weighing scale, or does the operator of these trucks (some bigger guy at top) pay someone in RTO or NHAI? I know these would be rumors, but what have you heard. Don't mention names, just the modus operandi.
  • A critical question for me. I understand the core problem that some of these roads (Shirady Ghat, NH17) are not designed to take vehicles heavier than X tons. Why isn't this being solved the other way - meaning, the mining truck operators pay some extra money (via tax) to NHAI to make them build thicker roads that can take more loads per axel? We know there might be corruption involved in rebuilding these ghat and coastal roads year after year, but ignore that for a moment and share your knowledge of road thickness and vehicle weight standards.

To me, its just plain and simple sad. Its 21st century, and we can't build roads that could survive three month spell of Monsoon. Connectivity to other parts of the state is a major handicap for Mangalore, an excellent coastal town. The city has some serious potential, how do we help it realize them?

Some numbers that I know:

Comments

tsubba's picture

hmm....

tsubba - 19 Aug 2008 - 6:04pm
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SB there is a post somewhere in the archives that describes how bribery works. it is a fine tuned machine. and involves colour codes and all!! this whole racket was disclosed in hubli. about tonnage check this and this the main thing about increased number of axel and length is to distribute the loads other wise it is like dragging a sledgehammer on the road. these are mandated in the US too and precisely for this reason. even on concrete roads. but given the horizontal geometry(curves) on the road, you cannot ply long trucks on that road. i beyond thickness i think drain the bed and the surface is a major issue. really trains are the only way. it might be useful to track down the economics of road transport vs train transport. why do the miners find it cheaper to transport by road?
silkboard's picture

cost of truck vs train

silkboard - 21 Aug 2008 - 3:59am
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these are the key angles I can think in truck vs train cost angle

  • Negative for train
    • trains may require interchanges, I see at least two
    •  
      • mine to nearest goods yard
      • train to truck or the port train just before the port
    • Money goes to a government company, not your friend's roadlines business.
  • Even for train vs truck
    • Since it is diesel, not electric, I am guessing cost of 10 trucks would be a little lower or about the same as that for a train with 7-8 containers.
    • Pilferage - happens at yards, and with trucks as well.
  • Positive for train
    • More tonnage per trip? More cost per tripi, but more weight (so, not a good proposition for small mines??)

The two negatives for train do it, what say? The first point more than the second one.

A realistic way forward would be for the miners to pitch in a sponsor a better road that can take more tonnage per axel. They could team with Mr Kheny and propose a Bangalore-Mangalore expressway through the ghats. Everyone wins.

Pushing them to use train requires two things 1) enforcement - watch and pull down all heavy trucks 2) tracks near all mines to connect to mainlines. #1 might be doable, but perhaps not #2. 

murali772's picture

lack of accountability

murali772 - 21 Aug 2008 - 12:54pm
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The advantages of bulk goods transport through rail, particularly over long distances, are too enormous. In spite of it all, if they are not being deployed, you will have to look for reasons beyond plain economics.

Railways may be making huge profits. But, accountability to the public, for which reason they supposedly are retained as a public sector entity, is certainly not a virtue they can boast of.

Muralidhar Rao

Muralidhar Rao
Ravi_D's picture

Motive?

Ravi_D - 21 Aug 2008 - 2:25pm
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"Money goes to a government company, not your friend's roadlines business."

Probably mine owner family's side business!

Thinking wild - 100 lorries are a lot harder for anyone to monitor for goods transported vs say 5 trains! Each trip can start anywhere, and end up anywhere.

Logically thinking, with roads getting messed up so bad, cost of transport and maintenance of lorries should go up sky high. Beats me that this (money) is not a good enough incentive to generate interest in maintaining the road.

Could it be that lorry / mine interests somehow involved in road construction? Or the return haul lorries carry back from the port city make up for additional cost?

Thanks,

Ravi

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