Govt eases axle load control rules with 3pc tolerance limit

KARACHI: The government has approved a 3 per cent tolerance limit in the Axle Load Control Regime (ALCR) following recommendations from the ALCR process committee.

The National Highway Authority (NHA) has directed the National Highways & Motorway Police (NHMP) to implement the 3 per cent tolerance limit across all weigh stations, according to an official notification.

The notification noted that since the installation of weigh stations on NHA networks, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) have consistently highlighted that these stations are calibrated to provide 97 per cent accurate results at a weighing speed of up to 5 km/h. The calibration certificates displayed prominently at all weigh stations specify these accuracy limits.

To enhance the ALCR process, a committee constituted by the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives thoroughly reviewed the system. Based on their evaluation, the committee recommended incorporating a tolerance of up to 3 per cent into the existing weigh limits.

In response, the National Traffic Operations Centre (NTOC) dashboard has been updated to reflect the new tolerance limits. The NHA has instructed the NHMP to enforce these recommendations at all NHA weigh stations.

The country’s logistics sector has welcomed the decision, terming it a positive development. Stakeholders had long criticised the inconsistent implementation of the ALCR, which they claimed was used to unfairly penalise the goods transport sector.

Industry representatives highlighted that fines were often disproportionately high, with vehicles slightly over the weight limit by a few hundred kilogrammes or one tonne being fined over Rs10,000 -- similar to vehicles exceeding the limit by 15-20 tonnes.

Senior Vice Chairman of the All Pakistan Goods Transport Owners Association Imdad Hussain Naqvi told The News that the decision was finalised in a meeting held in Islamabad on Friday. He praised the move, saying it would provide much-needed relief to the logistics sector and protect it from unjust penalties.

“Our reservations have now been addressed,” Naqvi said. “The goods transport sector is a vital part of the national economy. These new directives have come into effect immediately.”