IMPHAL, September 2: The Manipur Truck Owners Welfare Association has threatened that no transporter will ply along the National Highway 37 crossing the Barak Bridge until and unless the Border Road Organisation tenders an apology owing technical errors during construction of the new Barak Bridge.
Speaking to media persons today at their office, president of the association H Ranjit said the BRO complained to the Works minister during his recent inspection of the bridge that the Span of the bridge broke because of overloaded trucks crossing the bridge.
Only 24 MT is allowed on the bridge, Ranjit said.
The complained of the irresponsible BRO official to the minister is unfortunate and totally wrong, he said.
Ranjit blamed the BRO of making mistakes during construction of the bridge.
He said the model of the bridge is third class and the bridge itself is constructed with sub-standard quality materials and the structure has no safeguards on both sides as the old bridge does.
Such bridge is not warranted to be constructed along a busy national highway he said, adding that it could be used along an IVR with only light vehicles passing over it.
Now, until and unless the BRO tenders an apology to the transporters owing up that it had made errors in the construction of the bridge, no vehicle will ply along this route, he warned.
The New Barak Bridge doesn`™t have the 6-inch wooden beams on both sides and without these wooden beams the bridge will shake when a vehicle passes over it, he said.
Under the MVA Rules, we have only 6-wheel and 12-wheel trucks plying along the national highways in the State, he said.
He said the MTOWA has also appealed to all businessmen, contractors, transporters to ferry only MVA allowed load until the nee RCC bridge is completed.
The BRO should also release the two trucks its officials had taken under their custody as it has no power to do so, he said.
However, if any overloaded trucks are seized it should be directly handed over to the police or other concern authorities, he maintained.
The BRO has fixed the weight load at a mere 24 MT, however, the truckers are afraid to cross such a bridge, however, if they tender an apology, we will ply in the interest of the people, he said.
He further urged the State government to inspect the Barak Bridge with an expert team.