A 308-wheel transporter, carrying a 200-tonne industrial vessel, has become an unexpected attraction on the roadside in Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh. Despite the rain, crowds have gathered to photograph the enormous load. The convoy, which is moving slowly, has traveled from Odisha after the Belgium-made equipment arrived at Paradip port by sea. Due to the size of the load, crews are meticulously preparing the highway, section by section, to accommodate the transport.
The multi-axle transporter entered Uttar Pradesh through Chandauli after travelling from Paradip through Jharkhand and Bihar. Videos of the vehicle began circulating widely as it crossed Bihar and the crowds have followed it into UP. The huge number of wheels has a practical purpose. The axles spread the weight of the vessel across a much larger area while it is carried by road. Its journey is being measured in kilometres rather than hours. Police and road authorities have been deployed as crowds gather near the vehicle. Some visitors have moved close to the carriageway for selfies and videos, adding another problem for a convoy that already needs careful traffic management. Its height and width mean highway signs, overhead structures, electrical lines and foot overbridges have to be checked before it moves through each section. NHAI teams have removed signs and boards along parts of the Chandauli route. Cranes have also been brought in where overhead structures obstruct the load. In Varanasi, route inspections found three foot overbridges whose sections could interfere with the convoy. Authorities prepared to remove or lift the obstructing portions before restoring them after the transporter passes. The convoy also has support vehicles, cranes and a large crew travelling with it. The vessel was manufactured in Belgium and shipped to India’s east coast, where it was unloaded at Paradip in Odisha before beginning the road journey. Recent reports identify it as industrial equipment linked to Balrampur Chini Mills and the company’s project at Kumbhi in Lakhimpur Kheri. The Kumbhi project itself gives the unusual journey a larger industrial purpose. For people standing beside the highway in Chandauli, the engineering details have taken second place to the sight itself.
Recent reports put the load at around 200 tonnes. Reports from the route say the transporter generally covers around 10 to 20 kilometres in a day, depending on the road and the time needed to clear obstacles. Moving the vessel through Uttar Pradesh involves far more work than driving a normal heavy vehicle along NH-19. This explains why progress can fall to about 10 to 12 kilometres on difficult stretches. A report in August said a biopolymer plant costing about Rs 3,080 crore was under construction at Kumbhi and was proposed to begin operations in October. People continued arriving to photograph the 308-wheel transporter as crews prepared it for the next stage of its slow journey through Uttar Pradesh.
People travelling along the highway are making unexpected stops to witness the massive vehicle up close after previously coming across its viral videos on social media, with many gathering alongside their families to snap photos and capture the rare spectacle in person.
