The city police have decided to crack the whip on employees of private and government departments who were caught driving vehicles under the influence of alcohol.
Police Commissioner Mahesh Chandra Laddha on Friday released a note stating that from Sunday, if employees of government and private offices are caught drunk driving, the details of their police counselling, court punishments, including the violation details and alcometer readings, will be sent to their offices and to their higher officials in the form of notices.
Mr. Laddha also appealed to the employees to follow traffic rules without fail and not to involve in drunk driving, which could lead to road accidents.
According to sources, the traffic police have decided to act strict to reduce the drunk driving cases and also to create fear among tipsy drivers. Sources said that the incidents of employees getting caught in drunken driving have also been increasing.
“Earlier it was auto-rickshaw drivers, labourers and a few others, who were caught drunk driving, but gradually, we see number of educated and working people increasing. So the decision has been taken to target employees,” said a Senior Traffic police officer. It may be recalled that drunken driving enforcement teams have been increased and strengthened with team members given body-worn cameras, video recording equipment etc.
1,413 convicted in 2018
According to city traffic police records, at least 70 to 100 drunken driving cases are booked per day. In the year 2018, as many as 32,853 persons have been booked under drunken driving violation. About 76 % of convictions have increased, as 1,413 persons were convicted by court.
Many were sent to jail for one to 15 days, while a few were imposed fines, made to do traffic duty at busy junctions etc.
