A special drive by the law enforcers within city limits to check traffic rule violations and prevent offences led to the booking of several motor petty cases and realisation of fine amount from the violators on Saturday evening.
The five-hour long “combing operation” was carried out simultaneously in Fort, Cantonment, Golden Rock and Srirangam ranges, on the instruction of the Commissioner of Police E. Ma. Masanamuthu, during which law enforcers conducted vehicle checks at various points.
Of the 271 motor petty cases booked during that short period, 17 were under the head “drunken driving” with the law enforcers realising fine amount totalling Rs. 58,050.
City Police authorities say that they would now send proposals to the Transport Department authorities to suspend the driving licences of those against whom drunken driving cases had been booked during Saturday's drive.
Driving licences of vehicle users were suspended if the driver was either involved in a fatal accident case or for drunken driving. Transport Department officials say that necessary action for suspension of licence was initiated after obtaining detailed proposals from the law enforcers.
In every fatal accident case, explanation would first be sought from the driver concerned and then followed by a separate hearing in connection with the case, they add. The maximum duration period of suspension of licence was six months, a senior Transport Department official said.
In the last 16 months alone (from January 2010 to April 2011), Transport Department authorities had suspended the driving licences of over 240 persons in Tiruchi, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Karur and Pudukottai districts, falling under the Tiruchi Range. The licences were suspended for fatal accident cases and for drunken driving. Many proposals from the law enforcers were pending with the Regional Transport Officer concerned, who is vested with the power to suspend the driving licence.
Police sources say suspension of driving licences in respect of fatal accident cases were more as compared to those suspended for drunken driving cases.
For instance, the Tiruchi Regional Transport Office alone had suspended the driving licences of 55 persons till now in the current year for their involvement in fatal accident cases. The number of driving licences suspended for fatal accidents cases in the other four districts in the current year till now were more than 35.
A senior Transport Department official said a proposal for suspension of licence was being sent for every fatal accident case that was reported.
