With most motorists in the city getting accustomed to the timings of the traffic police in cracking down on drink driving and making ‘appropriate’ arrangements, the city traffic police gone a step ahead and have begun surprise checks at other timings too.
Sending some revellers’ plans into a tailspin, last weekend the police officials conducted the drive between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. instead of late in the night at 13 places across the city.
“I was going through Narayanguda crossroads on Saturday evening when I noticed the traffic slowing to a crawl. Only on reaching the police check post did I realise that the police were checking motorists for drink driving,” Preetam, a motorist said.
He claimed that many motorists were ‘caught’ in the sudden drive and it was difficult to duck as a large posse of policemen were present armed with the evidence clinching breath analysers.
Traffic police, on their part, admitted to having conducted such a drive on the weekend and warned that such ‘surprises’ would continue in future too. “We are taking steps to bring newer areas under our net. We are also conducting the drive during different time slots to catch motorists who have started consuming liquor and reaching their homes before our drive starts in the night,” said Inspector M. Srinivasulu, Drunk Driving Coordinator.
A total of 84 motorists were rounded up during the weekend for drink driving, out of which 10 persons were awarded with a three-day imprisonment by a city court on Wednesday. A fine of Rs. 2,500 was imposed on the rest.
