Representative image of drunk driving.
Credit: iStock Photo
Bengaluru has recorded a new high in drunk driving cases this year, with 30,736 violations reported by the Bengaluru Traffic Police till November 15. The figure, which is the highest since 2021 and surpasses the 23,620 cases recorded throughout 2024, highlights both a persistent risk on the city’s roads and an intensified enforcement by the police.
The increase comes after a period of fluctuation. Data accessed by DH revealed a surge from 4,144 cases in 2021 to 26,371 in 2022. The numbers saw a sharp dip to 7,053 in 2023, before rebounding to 23,620 last year and reaching the current high.
Top brass in the city police attributed the figure not just to increased prevalence of drunk driving, but also to a focused “change of strategy”.
Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh told DH that the surge reflects the intensity of their operations.
“The tweaks in strategy involve ‘composite naka bandi’ checks, incorporating two to three days of surprise checks and area domination,” he told DH.
The new penalties are stringent, raising the fine for a first-time offence from the previous Rs 1,000-1,500 to a steep Rs 10,000 and/or six months in prison. Repeat offenders now face a fine of Rs 15,000 and/or two years in prison.
Change in strategy
This new “composite checking” has personnel from the Bengaluru Traffic Police and the law and order wings of the Bengaluru City Police. This type of ‘naka bandi’ (check points) includes late-night checks and deployment of more than 100 patrol vehicles across the city.
“Doubling the number of ‘naka bandi’ compels officers to detect a broader range of violations, including stolen vehicles, drug cases, fake number plates, and other offences, in addition to drunk driving,” added the top cop.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Karthik Reddy told DH that the aim is to enhance safety. “To prevent accidents at night, we are conducting joint night patrols plus random checks to maintain a uniform presence in crime prone areas,” he said.
DCP Traffic East Sahil Bagla noted the introduction of increased daily vigilance
three to four months ago, which was a change from the previous method of focusing only on Thursday to Sunday nights.
“In order to control the increasing accidents, we now assign anything between three to five personnel on a rotational basis during the weekdays as well,” Bagla added.