Pic: Trucks in Davanagere have been parking across the city, without a proper terminalDavanagere: The plan to establish a truck terminal in Davanagere remains stalled due to lack of govt land, leaving truck drivers without a proper facility. The Devaraj Urs Truck Terminal organisation has expressed readiness to construct a terminal if land is provided. Despite repeated appeals, the search for suitable land has continued for one and a half decades, leaving the project on paper.A truck terminal is crucial for controlling accidents on national and state highways and managing traffic congestion in Davanagere and Harihar cities. It would offer a designated area for truck drivers and assistants to rest, along with facilities for parking, cleaning, and repairing trucks.In the absence of a terminal, trucks are parked haphazardly across various locations, sources informed. Davanagere, located in central Karnataka, sees significant commercial activity. National Highway 48 and a railway line pass through the city, with large-scale transactions occurring in the Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) premises.The district accommodates over 2,000 trucks. Freight vehicles on the national highway are often parked randomly, leading to accidents when trucks are hit by other vehicles. Trucks are stationed in open areas, dhabas, and vacant spaces on the city’s outskirts, resulting in the theft of diesel and tyres from these parked vehicles, sources confirmed.“Decades ago, we used to park trucks near the private bus stand. After police instructions, we moved near the Ashoka Cinema theatre. Later, trucks were parked near Lingeshwara Temple, Padmanjali Cinema theatre, and the onion market. Due to lack of a designated place, we are renting land near GMIT for parking,” said Syed Saifullah, president of the District Truck Owners’ Association.He also noted, “Between Oct 1 and 4, batteries from 15 trucks were stolen in the city area. Each battery costs Rs 22,000. Trucks in isolated areas are targeted. During festivals, tarpaulins are stolen.” The truck terminal requires a minimum of 10 to 12 acres of land, with 20 acres needed for a well-equipped facility.The district administration is currently searching for land that meets these standards. Although govt land near Bada Cross on the outskirts of Davanagere has been inspected, truck owners have not agreed to the site near Honnur Gollarahatti and prefer a location near Bathi Hill for convenience.“We will finalise the spot for the truck terminal in Davanagere soon and the problem will be fixed,” assured deputy commissioner GM Gangadharaswamy.
