Shillong, Oct 03: The Association of Meghalaya Traders and Transporters today met the Chief Minister Mr Conrad K Sangma and submitted memorandum to him urging the Government to bring down the weighing fee from Rs.200/- to Rs.10/- charge by the weighbridge in Jaintia Hills. In the memorandum they have also mention that multiple weighbridges system in the State and its affect on general public.
The organization said that, in other states the transportation cost is cheaper, in Meghalaya it is not so. The multiple weighing bridges system and compulsory multiple weighment in the same Highway with in the same district at various places in Meghalaya is one of the main reasons which has led to the higher cost of transportation in the state.
Moreover, the rate fixed by the government as weighment fee in all weighbridges is exorbitantly high at Rs 200/= (Rupees Two Hundred) only per truck each time it is weighed. The amount of fee charged by the government establishment should be corresponding to the service rendered and should not be exorbitantly high. The only service which the weighing bridges are providing is issuing of weighing certificate, which can hardly cost about Rs 2/= (Rupees
Installation Regulation and Maintenance of Weighbridges 2015 says Licenses are Two) or so. The establishment cost of weighbridge is a one time affair and is easily be recovered during the course of contract period between the private licensee and the government.
For instance, the rule for issued for a period of three years at a time. The cost of construction and installation of one weighing bridge is maximum Rs 30,00,000/Lakhs only. The current traffic flow of heavy goods laden vehicles which pass through NHAI Toll Plaza is not less than 2000 and during the Coal mining season it crosses 4000.
Considering the amount of investment and the amount of recovery charged by the government authorized licensees, shows that the government is giving undue favour and benefits to the private parties in the name of providing services. The amount of profit made by private parties is astronomically high. The annual profit made by the Licensee of Government weighing bridges is more than Rs 14 Crores under the current traffic scenario and it doubles with the opening of Coal mining.
The government should bring down the weighing fee to Rs 10/= per truck. At Rs 10/= (Rupees Ten) per truck, currently the licensee will be able to make Rs 73,00,000.00/- Lakhs annually and the amount doubles with the coal mining season.
Fee charged by the government for any service rendered should be minimal and whenever private parties are involved they are entitled to make reasonable profit. However, the case doesnt seem to be so when it comes to weighing bridges and the Government has mistakenly taken them as revenue sources and the private parties are making astronomical profit.
In this regard, they request your kindness to issue appropriate instruction to concerend department to utilize only one weighing bridge in one district and on a single Highway. To start with, in East Jaintia Hills district within a short span of road in between Rtacherra and Khliehriat, there are two weighing bridges one at Umtyraand the other at Rtacherra on the same NH 44 now NH 6. Same is the case in West Khasi Hills, there are two weighing bridges in between Mawpun and Riangdo.
The Government should issue immediate instruction to all concerned and use only one weighing bridge on a single highway in one district. For the government to be able to collect tolls weighing fee and impose restrictions on the movement of goods laden trucks directing interstate goods laden trucks to pass through the weighbridges on the Highways which pass through the state, it should come out with appropriate rules which are in line with the Constitution of India.
Till such rules are made, the Government should not make any new weighbridges or issue any new license for running weighing bridges. Said Mr Enrico D Pasi President and Mr Dalangki Suiam General Secretary in the press statement issued today.
