Axle Norms Amended

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has amended CV axle norms to be on par with the international norms.

- Ashish Bhatia

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) notified a change in the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) and maximum permissible axle load limits of heavy commercial vehicles recently. Following the changes notified by the Ministry of Surface Transport on October 18, 1996, about the maximum gross vehicle weight and the maximum safe axle weight inline with rule 95 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989, the new axle load norms for twoaxle trucks mark an increase to 18.5-tonnes from 16.2-tonnes. This translates an increase in payload capacity of about 20 per cent by re-configuring the axle load into six-tonnes for the front axle and 10.2-tonnes for the rear axle. In the case of a three-axle truck, the GVW is capped at 28.5-tonnes from the earlier 25-tonnes. Sixtonnes for the front axle and 19-tonnes for the tandem rear axle. In the case of a fiveaxle truck, the GVW is now capped at 43.5-tonnes from 37-tonne previously, increasing the payload carrying capacity by an estimated 25 per cent. For tractor trailers and other multi-axle trucks, the limit has been raised by 36 per cent. Expected to curb the rampant practice of overloading in the country, the move is also said to intend getting India on par with the international freight norms for transport vehicles. Besides amending the GVW and axle load limits, the mandatory annual renewal of fitness certificate for freight carriers has also been scrapped. A fitness certificate will now have to be renewed every two years.