Sri Vijaya Puram, May 29: The ongoing weighbridge enforcement drive along the Andaman Trunk Road (ATR) is increasingly drawing attention not only for its road safety objectives but also for its indirect impact on transportation charges and the cost of essential goods supplied to North and Middle Andaman.
The checking mechanism was introduced to prevent overloaded trucks from operating on the ATR, a highway that serves as the primary land connectivity corridor across the Islands. Overloading has long been viewed as a major cause of road damage, bridge stress, unsafe driving conditions and accidents involving heavy vehicles.
Under the present system, trucks suspected of carrying excess load are stopped at designated checkpoints, including the Mile Tilak area, and are directed for weighment. The weighing operations are reportedly being handled through a private agency engaged for the purpose, while enforcement remains under the Transport Department.
Vehicles suspected of overloading are identified based on visible indicators such as tyre pressure, loading pattern, vehicle balance and road behaviour. If found carrying load beyond the permissible limit, the vehicle is issued a challan and is not allowed to proceed until the excess load is removed and penalties are cleared as per provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
As per the prescribed rules, overloaded vehicles can attract a penalty of Rs. 20,000 along with an additional fine of Rs. 2,000 per tonne of excess load. In some cases, vehicle operators may also have to bear the cost of off-loading materials before continuing the journey.
While the enforcement mechanism has been put in place primarily to strengthen road safety and protect public infrastructure, transport charges linked to goods movement towards North and Middle Andaman are reportedly witnessing a gradual increase.
Transporters moving groceries, construction materials, commercial stock and daily-use commodities from Sri Vijaya Puram towards the northern regions are allegedly adding extra freight charges in the name of weighbridge checks, delays and possible challan risks.
According to observations at checking points, not every truck passing through the ATR undergoes weighment. Only vehicles suspected of carrying excess load are generally selected for inspection.
For instance, if nearly 100 trucks travel towards North and Middle Andaman on a given day, only around 20 to 30 vehicles may be stopped for inspection based on suspicion of overloading. Among those checked, only a smaller number are eventually found violating prescribed load limits and fined accordingly.
However, despite only a fraction of vehicles being penalised, the cost burden linked to enforcement is reportedly being reflected more broadly across freight pricing. Transport margins are allegedly being raised uniformly under references to “weighbridge expenses” or “checking risks,” even for consignments that are never subjected to weighment or penalty.
The result, traders say, is a gradual increase in the market prices of goods transported through the ATR corridor. Commodities reaching North and Middle Andaman markets are reportedly becoming costlier as transport expenses are added into the final retail pricing.
The ATR remains one of the most critical supply routes in the Islands, connecting multiple regions dependent on regular truck movement for food supplies, construction material, fuel-linked goods and other commercial essentials. Any increase in freight rates along this corridor directly impacts the overall cost of supply in northern parts of the Islands.
At the same time, concerns over overloading remain significant. Heavy vehicles carrying excess weight are often blamed for faster deterioration of roads, damage to culverts and bridges, and increased accident risks, especially during monsoon conditions and on vulnerable highway stretches.
Authorities have intensified surprise inspections in recent weeks, and vehicles suspected of violating permissible load limits are being escorted to nearby weighing facilities for verification. Trucks found overloaded are required to off-load excess material before being allowed to continue further movement on the highway.
The enforcement drive has also led to greater scrutiny of transport operations across the ATR route, particularly vehicles involved in bulk movement of construction supplies and commercial goods.
While the safety rationale behind the weighbridge system has largely remained undisputed, discussions are now growing over the need to ensure that enforcement-related operational costs are not indiscriminately transferred to consumers through inflated transport margins.
With North and Middle Andaman heavily dependent on ATR-based logistics for uninterrupted supply movement, even small increases in freight charges can eventually influence the retail prices of essential commodities in remote markets.
The ongoing enforcement campaign is expected to continue in the coming weeks as authorities maintain stricter monitoring of overloaded vehicles operating across the highway network.
