While the traffic congestion in Phuentshogling has eased a bit since the lifting of the weighbridge, truckers say, it’s them, who are now bearing the brunt of the decision.
They said to travel out of Phuentshogling, without obtaining the receipt from the weighbridge, would cost them.
With the new rule, only the trucks loaded with goods found to be suspicious will have to undergo the weighing process. But for truckers, either doing away completely with the weighing rule or making it mandatory like before would be convenient.
“During checking, along the way, some manage to get the weight card but some don’t because the weighbridge is closed. But officials don’t understand this and they levy us fines without any consideration,” said a trucker, Tshering Nidup.
They added to save themselves from being penalised; they take their loaded trucks to be weighed before leaving. However, since the rule came into being, the weighbridge, they said has no proper timing of functioning.
According to the Customs officials, the weighbridge has been functioning as per their normal timing from 6 AM to 10 PM. They said with barricades at the entrance and exit of the weighbridge, the truckers mistook it for the weighbridge being closed. This, Customs said was done by traffic police.
Meanwhile, traffic division said the barricades were kept as and when there was traffic congestion in the town. This was in accordance with the Thromde’s notification of the new weighbridge rule. They also said that no truckers have been fined for not producing weight card since the rule was enforced.
Though a temporary measure, concerned officials said, efforts are being made to make aware to all importers and truck drivers about the new rule.
