New Delhi: The Supreme Court has refused to hear the petition against overloading of buses. A bench headed by Chief Justice Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai said that the petitioner should submit a memorandum to the government. It is not necessary to come to the Supreme Court on every issue. In the petition, the threat to the lives of passengers due to overloading and the loss of revenue to the government from freight transportation were cited. The petitioner had demanded that the court should ask the government to make a system to check the weight of buses. There should be a ban on carrying goods by installing carriers on buses.
In the petition of lawyer Sangam Lal Pandey, it was said that he is demanding compliance with the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Excess weight is being carried in passenger buses across the country. Commercial goods are also being kept in buses going beyond the rules set for keeping passengers’ luggage. For this, carriers are installed on the roofs.
The petitioner had said that the weight allowed in private buses is 16 to 18 tonnes, but by keeping more passengers and luggage, the weight is constantly being carried at 40 to 45 tonnes. Keeping luggage on the roof also increases the height of the bus. The bus remains unbalanced due to excess weight and height. Overloading has been the cause of many major accidents. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) states that every year thousands of people lose their lives due to bus overloading.
It was said in the petition that most of the commercial goods carried in buses are without proper GST bill. The CAG report of 2024 suggests that the loss of revenue to the government due to this could be around Rs 500 crore. The petitioner had also mentioned the pollution caused by overweight buses. It was said that according to the report of IIT Delhi, overloaded buses consume 15 to 20 percent more fuel per kilometer and emit more carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and particulate matter.