Holi festivity laced with alcohol can land the habitual drunk drivers behind bars. Nearly 200 special checking teams of Delhi Traffic Police will be on a massive hunt for drunk drivers in the Capital ahead of Holi when high fatality is reported every year due to driving under the influence of liquor. Special checking teams with alcometers and interceptors will be deployed at major intersections to detect and prosecute violations.
Officials said barricading will be put on major roads and intersections to stop drunken drivers during the evening and night hours. “In case of drunken driving, besides prosecution, the drivers are liable to be arrested and their vehicles impounded. They shall also be counselled on the spot about the negative effects of drunk driving and the dangers that are associated with the menace,” said Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Anil Shukla.
He added that action shall also be initiated against the registered owner of vehicles whose vehicles are found to be used in minor driving, driving by unauthorised person, performing of stunts, driving without licence. Around 200 Traffic Police special checking teams along with Police Control Room (PCR) and local police teams shall be stationed on roads and strategic locations and intersections all over Delhi to check drunken driving and other traffic violations. Drunken driving is punishable with a jail term and suspension of driving licence besides fines.
Drive sober or get pulled up
According to Delhi Traffic Police, the driving licence of the violators will be seized and recommended to the Transport Department for suspension. For the first offence, the licence will be suspended for at least six months whereas for the second time offence, the licence will be cancelled permanently. last year on Holi 10,339 prosecutions were made out of which 3,914 were for riding without helmet, 1,819 for red light jumping, 973 for triple riding, 124 for dangerous driving and 1,278 drivers were prosecuted for drunken driving. In addition, 581 vehicles were also impounded during the special drive.