MCD trucks under police scanner

NEW DELHI: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi's ill-maintained trucks are being routinely prosecuted by the traffic police for the last two weeks. "We have prosecuted many MCD trucks in the last 10 days and impounded those which were not fit to be on the road," said Pradeep Hota, deputy commissioner of police (northern range-traffic). The police found these trucks, most of which carried garbage, in poor shape.One of these trucks had killed three persons and injured another three in an accident last month. "Many of these trucks did not have headlights. They were also devoid of indicators," Hota said. Without lights, they are not visible in the night and cause accidents on the road. In many of these prosecuted trucks, the number plates are also not easy to read as they are covered by filth. The MCD fleet comprises 693 trucks, of which only 342 are plying. The rest have gone for repairs. MCD officials admit their trucks are in a state of disrepair. After depositing the garbage at a landfill site drivers are supposed to get their trucks cleaned, but this is rarely done. A corporation official admitted that all trucks had to be cleaned every two days, but they were not being washed for months. As a result, the vehicles started wearing out and breakdown became more common. While many allege that these trucks are over 15 years old, traffic police officials say that even if they are not, they look pretty old due to poor upkeep. "The drivers told us that the brakes are not functioning, gears are not well-oiled, they don't have proper knobs to hold. These are not visible from outside, but are extremely dangerous on the roads," a senior traffic police official said. Even the driver's cabin, traffic police officers say, is very ill-maintained. Said Hota,"For example, the driver's back rest is missing. Now if the driver applies sudden brakes, it is bound to hurt him. He can even lose control over the vehicle." Lifespan of such trucks is about 10 years and 10 per cent of the equipment needs regular replacement. "Since that is rarely done, these vehicles look shabby. And garbage trucks on roads are a nuisance if not maintained properly," a police officer said.