Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun/Haldwani, 2 Jul: In a decisive move to improve road safety and curb environmental degradation, the Transport Department has announced that all mining vehicles registered before 2010 will be subjected to strict fitness examinations before being permitted to operate in Haldwani. The directive, issued as part of a broader initiative to regulate the mining sector, mandates that only vehicles passing these inspections shall be allowed to ply on public roads.
Regional Transport Officer, Haldwani, Sunil Sharma, shared today with the media that enforcement teams have been tasked with carrying out detailed inspections of vehicles involved in mining activities. He disclosed that departmental inquiries have identified nearly 12,000 dumpers and trucks operating in the Gola and Nandhaur riverbeds, many of which were found to be over two decades old and in deteriorated condition yet actively engaged in mining transport. The presence of such aged and potentially unroadworthy vehicles has raised serious concerns regarding their contribution to both pollution levels and accident risk.
Acting on government instructions, the Transport Department has now made it compulsory for such vehicles to undergo stringent roadworthiness tests. Vehicles that fail to meet the prescribed standards will be prohibited from operating, whereas those that clear the assessments will be allowed to continue functioning. Sharma emphasised that the department is preparing to launch a special campaign to conduct these fitness checks and has been directed to initiate cancellation of registrations for any vehicles deemed unfit.
This step, authorities claim, will go a long way in ensuring safer road conditions and enforcing environmental safeguards in areas witnessing high mining activity.
