Team Herald
PONDA: A heavy truck of 16-tonne capacity loaded with scrap metals got stranded on the middle of an internal road at Tollem after it failed to climb a steep ascent on Wednesday night.
The stranded truck caused severe inconvenience as well as traffic congestion, forcing the locals to complain to the police. Though a police team headed by PSI Melson Colaco immediately rushed to the spot, they could not move the vehicle as it was fully loaded.
According to locals, the road in Tollewada of Bethora is narrow and has a steep descent and an ascent; while crossing the ward, vehicles have to first descent, take a sharp turn and then immediately ascent, due to which they cannot pick up speed to reach the top; hence, get stranded.
According to local youth, the road remains busy throughout the day with pedestrians and light vehicles. Further, there is a government school in the ward and many students use the road.
If a loaded vehicle fails to clear the ascent, it will have to reverse to the low ground; however, if the driver loses control, the vehicle would run over the pedestrians and students. In one such recent incident, two youth jumped out of their two-wheeler to escape from coming under the wheels of a truck that failed to clear the ascent.
Locals complain that at least one vehicle fails to clear the ascent every 10-15 days, hence remains stranded at the low ground.
Local youth say that the cause of the problem is a scrap yard operating at Ashewada Bethora; the scrap yard owner uses 16 tonnage capacity trucks for transporting scrap material.
Locals say that they are not against his business, however they are opposed to allowing 16-tonne capacity vehicles; they suggested that the scrap material be transported in 5-tonne capacity vehicles.
The locals also expressed fear that the culvert at Tollem Bethora may collapse at any time under the weight of 16-tonne trucks passing through it.
