Bantwal: Heavy trucks parked at Melkar continue to trouble locals

Bantwal: The lorries and heavy tankers that are being parked on the roadside on the National Highway 75 near Melkar junction are allegedly causing traffic snarls and creating hassles for commuters on the highway.

Locals said that lorries that travel from Mangaluru towards far-off destinations, including Bengaluru, Chennai, and places in Andhra Pradesh are parked on the roadside for extended hours. This leaves little room for other vehicles to pass on the highway, they alleged.

Moreover, truck drivers and other personnel on these lorries also pollute the local environment, a local had complained to the police.

However, locals accused the police of neglecting their complaints. After media reports on the issue, a signboard had been installed notifying the no-parking area for heavy vehicles. The board has now mysteriously gone missing from the spot, they said.

It is a common practice among truck drivers to park vehicles where there is wide space next to the road and take a break from long-haul duty.

When the issue was brought to the notice of Bantwal DYSP Pratap Singh Thorat, he assured action against erring truck drivers. “The post of PSI at the Traffic Police Station is currently vacant. Another PSI has been appointed and he will take up the issue once he assumes office on February 28,” he added.