Vijayapura: Informing that the Government has already set up seven mega truck terminals in the State, of them five are already operating, D. S. Veeraiah, Chairman Devaraj Urs Truck Terminal Limited has said that land is being identified in the City also to establish one such truck terminal.
Addressing mediapersons after holding a meeting with the District Administration and the Lorry Owners’ Association on Monday December 12, he said that he has directed the Administration to identify suitable land near the City to establish the terminal.
Stating that already some four areas near Burnapur, Chandchan and Mulawad have been tentatively selected and have adequate Government land, he said that direction has been issued to finalise one land.
“I have asked the officials to check the availability of land, distance from the City and proximity to national highways. Considering all these aspects, the officials will select the suitable land and submit the report. Based on that, the matter would be taken up at the government level to start the process to establish the terminal,” he said.
Veeraiah said that the State and the Central Government want such terminals to be established in every district of the State to provide one bigger space for the trucks to park and allow the drivers to take rest before heading further. The Government has noticed that in the absence of the terminals, truck drivers park their vehicles on the roadside due to which, often accidents are getting reported as many passing vehicles, hit the parked truck from behind resulting in fatal injuries.
To a question, he said that the terminal in Vijayapura, which is going to be built in around 40-acre land, can accommodate at least 2000 trucks. The terminal will have facilities such as hotels, service centres, dormitories, toilets/bathrooms, weight bridges, clinics etc, he added.
“It will be a full-fledged township where many facilities would be provided. The truck owners will have to pay a stipulated fee to park the vehicles,” he said.
To a question, he made it clear that despite developing such a mega terminal, the Government cannot force the truck drivers to use the facility as there is no such law existing that mandates them to park the vehicles only at the terminal for taking a break from journeys before going ahead.
“The Government is planning to frame the law that prevents the truck drivers from parking their trucks on the roadsides and mandate them to park it only at the designated terminals. The Government may soon come up with the law,” he said.
