Illicit Acts in Khatkati at MVI Check Gate
A new motor vehicle check point set up by Assam Government’s Transport department at Khatkati, on th Assam-Nagaland border alongside a private Weighbridge (Pragati Weighbridge excess) over National Highway 39 has become a money-making venue for some Government employees.
The checkpoint was set up mainly to regulate overloading, but has become a venue of extortion and money-making activities.
Karbi Anglong District Student Union drawing serious objections to the illegal act submitted a memorandum to the SDO (Civil) of Bokajan seeking a detailed inquiry into alleged collection of excess money. The student body also demanded proper regulation of the whole business.
The newly built toll plaza is collecting a fine @ Rs. 1000/- per excess ton of load plus a penalty of Rs. 2000.
No Receipts Issued
According to several victims of the penetrative action, neither the toll gate nor the Motor Vehicle Inspector or any subordinate officer facilitating the check point issued any official money receipt to the truckers if they were found to be overweight.
On Thursday, people of the locality shutdown the gate after one Sanjay Goswami gate failed to produce a Trading License from Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council to run the business along with other relevant documents such as NOC of KAAC. But since yesterday, the whole business is back with more agility. Suspicious persons operating the toll gate argued that the Supreme Court of India has ordered the establishment of toll gates to standardize loading capacity of commercial vehicles travelling on national highways and to control overloading.
“This whole business of collecting government revenue is in fact an extortion racket of the private Weighbridge owner, the lessee and immoral government officers, the gaming should be stopped immediately,” M. Rongpi, a local Khatkati resident said.
