The government on Saturday accepted one of the demands put forth by traders and decided to suspend axle load condition on Motorway (M-9) from Karachi to down country for a period of one year. A statement issued by the Prime Minister Office stated that on the direction of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) suspended axle load weight limit implementation for a prided of one year. The decision was taken on the request of traders, said the statement.

The businessmen during their recent separate meetings with the prime minister and Chief of the Army Staff, have conveyed the concerns of traders and businessmen with regard to axle load weight limit and how it was negatively impacting the business in terms of cost and availability of transport.

The representatives of business community who attended the meeting said as the businessmen offered to pay wear and tear cost of roads in the form of increase in toll tax, the prime minister and chief of army staff, according to participants promised them that their demand would be considered favorably. The axel load control policy is covered under the National Highway Safety Ordinance 2000, and Ministry of Communications is executing agency of the policy from June 1, 2019 on all national highways and motorways. However, the country has around 500,000km to 600,000km of roads across the country whereas National Highways Authority (NHA) jurisdiction is only 12,000km.

The ordinance came into effect in 2,000, but was delayed since then on one pretext or other. The present government, after coming to power, has decided to implement the axel load regime could not be fully enforced due to absence of NHA jurisdiction on large kilometer of roads.

The cement, steel and sugar industry representatives moved Sindh High Court (SHC) in September against the implementation of the axle load regime and wanted the court to either exempt them from the axle weight limit or issue stay order. However, their plea was rejected by the court with regard to issue a stay order.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019