Chennai, September 24 (Daily Kiran) : The Tamil Nadu government is set to introduce a QR code-based online permit system for vehicles transporting sand and other minerals. This initiative aims to replace traditional paper transit documents and combat illegal transportation practices, which involve both large and small minerals.
Natural Resources Minister D.K. Prabhu announced that permits will be issued through the Mineral Management System (MIMAS) portal. Once this system is launched, manual passes will be discontinued. However, the department has not yet confirmed the launch date.
Each digital permit will include information that can be cross-verified with the quantity being transported and the mining site. Officials expect this system will improve oversight of shipments, royalty collections, and GST. Weighbridges will also be integrated into MIMAS, allowing for a comparison of actual loads with the quantities specified on the permits.
To monitor transportation and catch overloaded vehicles, a control room is planned. Some weighbridges at limestone quarries are already linked to the portal, and the department is working to include sites producing smaller minerals.
These measures are part of a broader initiative to digitize mining administration from extraction to transport. Truck operators have until September 30 to install GPS devices, providing another method to track their journeys. While sand truck operators have welcomed the move towards online documentation, concerns remain about the responsibility for fraudulent papers issued by contractors.
In a recent incident in Tiruvallur district, authorities seized nearly 14 trucks transporting soil using fake transit passes and permits. Cases have been registered against the drivers and vehicle owners. Operators are calling for government officials to verify electronic transport documents to ensure their validity before drivers and owners accept loads.
They are also requesting stricter oversight of crusher units to ensure compliance with regulations for minerals dispatched from those sites. Additionally, truck operators urged the department to expedite the process of linking weighbridges at stone quarries to the portal.
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