$21 billion going up in fumes every year as freight vehicles idle at check posts

NEW DELHI: The annual cost of delays of freight vehicles at chungis ( check posts), due to frequent checking by enforcement agencies, halting at toll plazas and the resultant additional fuel consumption is estimated around $21.3 billion (Rs 1.45 lakh crore), according to a study conducted by IIM-Calcutta for a major Indian logistics firm.

Indicating how corruption on roads may not have reduced much in the past couple of years, the third edition of this report on operational efficiency of freight transportation on Indian roads has mentioned that while average journey time and vehicle speeds have improved, there are more stops, delays and more expenses.

Such stops are not at toll plazas but at check posts and state borders, for paying sales and entry tax, by transport department officials and police personnel.

The report said if the average statistics for the 28 major routes surveyed approximately represent the national average, it may be inferred that while average stoppage delays per kilometre have remained almost the same as in 2011-12, average stoppage expenses per tonne-km worsened.

According to the estimates, the cost of delay was $6.6 billion per year and the cost of additional fuel consumption due to delay was $14.7 billion. The report was released by road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday.

Gadkari said he wants lesser number of trucks on roads. "For us, the priority mode for transportation of goods is water, then rail and roads come last. Using waterway is economic and eco-friendly as well," he added.