Paradip: A massive industrial vessel that rolled out of Odisha on a special 308-wheel trailer truck became a major attraction for people as it moved through Jharkhand and Bihar on its way to the Balarampur sugar mill in Uttar Pradesh.
The vessel, weighing 200 tonnes arrived at the Paradip port from Belgium and then moved through Odisha before entering Jharkhand. It crossed into Bihar and is now set to enter Uttar Pradesh.
The nearly 100-foot-long heavy-haul vehicle has attracted crowds along its route, with pictures and videos of the unusual consignment being circulating widely on social media, as reported by News18.
Till now, it has travelled through Rohtas, Gaya, Aurangabad and Kaimur. The trailer truck, with its unique cargo, will now enter Uttar Pradesh through Chandauli before making its way through Varanasi towards Balrampur.
It is being escorted by two pilot vehicles and a team of experts is accompanying the consignment. Officials are monitoring the route continuously, with road widening being carried out wherever the vehicle encounters a particularly narrow stretch.
Special arrangements are also being made at toll plazas to ensure the passage of the oversized vehicle.
Teams from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the police have been inspecting proposed routes to ensure the safe movement of the massive consignment.
Officials have now realised that three foot overbridges in UP would have to be dismantled to allow the vessel to pass. Two of these are on NH-19 and the other near the Swarved Temple in Chaubepur.
Parts of the structures will be removed to allow the oversized consignment to pass. The affected structures are expected to be rebuilt after the heavy vehicle has crossed the route.
The measures highlight the scale of the machinery and the logistical challenges involved in transporting equipment of this size by road.
The unusual journey is expected to continue under close monitoring until the machinery reaches its final destination.