Udupi: Laxman B. Nimbargi, Superintendent of Police, said on Friday that stern action would be taken against large trucks which were using alternative roads to dodge the toll gate at Sasthan on National Highway 66. He was speaking at the phone-in programme organised at the District Police Office here.

A caller pointed out that heavy trucks were using Herady-Yadthady-Gavali Road to dodge the toll gate at Sasthan.

This was weakening the bridges on these roads as they were not meant for the heavy trucks. He said that a bridge connecting Barkur and Brahmavar had collapsed due to movement of heavy trucks carrying ore 14 years ago. Since trucks over 20 tonnes were moving on the road, the collapse of many bridges, some of which were weak and narrow, could not be ruled out, he said.

Mr. Nimbargi said that he would direct the police to patrol these roads and start imposing fines on such big trucks. The police personnel of Brahmavar and Kota police stations would also be pressed into duty for this purpose. The Regional Transport Office too would be taken into confidence in the matter, he said.

Another caller said that the reflectors stuck on the barricades on the National Highway 66 had given away or had peeled off at Koteshwar, Saligrama and Brahmavar.

These reflectors were essential during night traffic, he said. Mr. Nimbargi said that the police would put up new radium reflectors on such barricades.

To a query, Mr. Nimbargi said that he would write to the managements of schools and colleges and direct them to halt school buses 100 metres behind or ahead of the local bus stands.

A woman caller said that buses moved with speed on NH 66 at Trasi village and it was difficult for people to cross the road during peak traffic hours. Mr. Nimbargi said that the police staff would be deployed on duty there to regulate traffic from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

To a query on some autorickshaws not using flag metres in Udupi, Mr. Nimbargi said that a meeting of Revenue, Transport and Police departments with the autorickshaw operators would be called to decide if prepaid and postpaid charges between various destinations could be agreed upon.