NEW DELHI: The government has banned vehicles from carrying rods, pipes or any protruding material beyond the body frame. The road transport ministry has deleted the provision in the Central Motor Vehicle Rules (CMVR) that allowed protrusions up to one metre.

Sources said the road transport ministry had deleted Section 93 of CMVR 1989 , which allowed goods vehicles to carry poles or rods or indivisible load “so long as the projecting part or parts do not exceed the distance of one metre beyond the rear most point of the motor vehicle”. But this provision was widely misused.

In 2012, at least 9,100 people died in 28,217 road accidents caused due to load protrusions. Besides, at least 29,500 people were injured. Over 50% of such fatalities were reported from Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. UP leads the list with 1,961 such deaths.

In July last year, the Supreme Court had sought the Centre’s response after a PIL said thousands of motorists died every year in accidents caused by trucks parked recklessly on highways, many with iron rods protruding from their body frames.

The road ministry has sent the amendment for notification. “Soon, we will publicize the amendment to spread awareness. We are harmonizing our standards keeping in mind best global practices. The focus is that material carried in a truck or trailer remains within the length of the vehicle or trailer. But the results of this rule depends on how strictly state agencies and police enforce the law,” road transport secretary Vijay Chhibber said.

Officials said as soon as the notification came out, there would be awareness campaigns to educate truckers and consignees.

At present, truck drivers seldom follow the practice of fixing blinkers at the end point of protruding material to warn vehicles coming from behind. Though city police teams sometimes conduct surprise checks, there is little policing on highways, particularly during night.