Katargam main road closed to heavy vehicles

It may be noted that there have been cases of sand dealers removing sand from the river bed without paying the royalty to the department concerned. DCP N V Patel, in a directive issued on Thursday, under the Bombay Police Act section 33 1 b, said that heavy vehicles will not be allowed to travel on the Katargam main road including the areas of Dairy Falia, Laxmikant Ashram and towards the Tapi. Talking to Express Newsline, Patel said, 8220;The entire area is residential with schools and colonies. Heavy vehicles pose a problem for traffic in the area and the decision had to be taken,8221;

Katargam Police Inspector M K Patel, while referring to an incident ten days ago, where a truck carrying sand had injured a small boy, said reckless driving had caused a number of accidents in the area. The truck was set ablaze by a mob even as the boy escaped without serious injuries. He said that just a couple of days ago another tanker had overturned.

And with both the police and the RTO finding if difficult to check illegal carting, the new directive might come as a respite for them as well as for area residents.