The menace of overloaded vehicles

It is indeed disheartening to note that the plying of overloaded vehicles in the highways and over the bridges have been going on unabated right under the nose of the law enforcers. These lorries are one of the biggest contributors to the damage of vehicles and the road, and, worst still, are a leading reason for the premature destruction of small bridges across the country.  Allowing overweight vehicles to pass causes development of cracks even on the surface of big infrastructure. The recently discovered crack in the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge is just an example for a long time. 

These vehicles are also prone to accidents, a serious threat to public safety, and are the prime actor behind many road mishap-related tragedies in the country. What is indeed shocking is that a section of police officials reportedly in connivance with erring lorry-owners let overweight vehicles pass in exchange of sweeteners.  There are places where the weighing bridges are out of order. 

Coordination among the major stakeholders, especially the authorities at the point of origin and the representative organiations of businesses and industries, holds the key. There is no denying that overloading should be stopped at the source, still we cannot but stress the need for vigorous monitoring on the streets. Monitoring devices should be put in place to record stress level on bridges. The weighing bridges need to be fixed on an immediate basis. Signs with the maximum weight a vehicle can carry must be posted near a bridge, violating which one should be brought to book.