The Indian road transport sector is facing several challenges and problems, including the widely discussed overloading of vehicles. Though the Government has taken a series of measures to prevent overloading, no permanent solution has yet been found to end the menace. Termed cancer, overloading should be tackled on a war-footing through more stringent legislation, says Mr. Harbhajan Singh Kohli, a leading fleet operator from Pune, running his firm, Kesar Roadlines Pvt. Ltd., since 1962.
According to Mr. Kohli, overloading of vehicles helps only the drivers and the Government departments in making money, but not the fleet operators. Since road transport business has improved a lot over the years with a growing number of vehicles in use and clients depending on it, the Government’s tax earnings from the sector have also gone up. As such, the Government would do well to introduce a one-time fee for movement of goods from one State to another instead of charging multiple levies like toll tax, octroi, etc.
He also said that equally important is the urgency to accord industry status for the road transport sector which is one of the largest employment providers in the country. If the sector gets industry status, transport operators can expect additional facilities like bank finance for purchase of fleet. Currently, fleet operators in the country rely more on private financing by paying higher interest as compared to public sector banks.
Mr. Kohli is closely associated with various activities of the road transport industry both in Maharashtra and at the national level.