Two days on, Punjab Red Cross relief trucks for Nepal stuck in Chandigarh over vehicle fitness issue

PTC Web Desk: Three trucks carrying relief material sent by the Punjab Red Cross for people affected by the devastating disaster in Nepal are yet to leave Chandigarh due to administrative hurdles.

The trucks were flagged off from Punjab Raj Bhavan on Tuesday by Punjab Governor and Punjab Red Cross president Gulab Chand Kataria. However, instead of heading towards Nepal, the vehicles are currently parked in the Manimajra area of Chandigarh.

Vehicle fitness clearance delays departure

As per a report in The Tribune, the main reason for the delay is reportedly the absence of a valid vehicle fitness certificate, or passing, for one of the trucks.

Subhash, the driver of one of the trucks, was quoted as saying that his vehicle could not proceed because its mandatory passing had not been completed. Vehicle checks are particularly strict in Uttar Pradesh and that operating without the required fitness clearance could result in a hefty penalty.

According to the driver, the RTO officials in Chandigarh have been unavailable for the past couple of days, leaving the vehicle clearance process pending. The other two trucks are also waiting for the issue to be resolved so that all three vehicles can travel to Nepal together.

Relief material worth over Rs 10 lakh

The first consignment includes ready-to-eat food, ration, clothes and other essential supplies valued at more than Rs 10 lakh. The material was collected to provide immediate assistance to people struggling in the aftermath of the disaster in Nepal.

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While flagging off the trucks, Governor Gulab Chand Kataria had expressed solidarity with Nepal and said the people of Punjab stood with the country during the difficult period.

He had also announced that the Punjab Red Cross planned to send relief material worth around Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore to Nepal in phases.

However, the delay affecting the first consignment has raised questions over the administrative arrangements made before the relief trucks were sent out.