<p>New Delhi: The Delhi Traffic Police issued 868 challans for drunken driving on New Year's Eve, marking an increase of about 56 per cent over last year when 558 motorists were booked for the offence, officials said on Thursday.</p>.<p>"The rise of 56 per cent underscores intensified enforcement and wider deployment of traffic personnel across the national capital during celebrations," a senior officer of the Delhi Traffic Police said.</p>.<p>He said that special enforcement teams were stationed on arterial roads, near nightlife hubs and in residential clusters to curb drunken driving, speeding, motorcycle stunts and other dangerous violations.</p>.Rise in drunken driving cases worries KSRTC.<p>Breathalyser tests were conducted at multiple checkpoints throughout the night, with teams rotating locations to prevent motorists from evading checks.</p>.<p>Police said the enforcement drive was supported by extensive CCTV surveillance and real-time coordination among district control rooms to monitor crowd movement and respond swiftly to any incident.</p>.<p>In addition to traffic enforcement, the Delhi Police mobilised a force of around 20,000 personnel to maintain law and order during the New Year celebrations, he said.</p>.<p>Special attention was paid to crowd-prone areas such as Connaught Place, Hauz Khas and Aerocity, where the footfall traditionally surges on the night of December 31.</p>.<p>Police said the objective of the drive was not only to penalise offenders but also to send a strong message against drunken driving, which continues to be a major cause of road accidents in the city.</p>.<p>Last year, the Delhi Traffic Police had issued 558 challans for drunken driving on New Year's Eve, a figure that was then stated to be 34 per cent higher than the previous year. According to official data cited earlier, 416 motorists were prosecuted for drunken driving in 2023, 318 in 2022, 25 in 2021, 19 in 2020 and 299 in 2019. </p>
<p>New Delhi: The Delhi Traffic Police issued 868 challans for drunken driving on New Year's Eve, marking an increase of about 56 per cent over last year when 558 motorists were booked for the offence, officials said on Thursday.</p>.<p>"The rise of 56 per cent underscores intensified enforcement and wider deployment of traffic personnel across the national capital during celebrations," a senior officer of the Delhi Traffic Police said.</p>.<p>He said that special enforcement teams were stationed on arterial roads, near nightlife hubs and in residential clusters to curb drunken driving, speeding, motorcycle stunts and other dangerous violations.</p>.Rise in drunken driving cases worries KSRTC.<p>Breathalyser tests were conducted at multiple checkpoints throughout the night, with teams rotating locations to prevent motorists from evading checks.</p>.<p>Police said the enforcement drive was supported by extensive CCTV surveillance and real-time coordination among district control rooms to monitor crowd movement and respond swiftly to any incident.</p>.<p>In addition to traffic enforcement, the Delhi Police mobilised a force of around 20,000 personnel to maintain law and order during the New Year celebrations, he said.</p>.<p>Special attention was paid to crowd-prone areas such as Connaught Place, Hauz Khas and Aerocity, where the footfall traditionally surges on the night of December 31.</p>.<p>Police said the objective of the drive was not only to penalise offenders but also to send a strong message against drunken driving, which continues to be a major cause of road accidents in the city.</p>.<p>Last year, the Delhi Traffic Police had issued 558 challans for drunken driving on New Year's Eve, a figure that was then stated to be 34 per cent higher than the previous year. According to official data cited earlier, 416 motorists were prosecuted for drunken driving in 2023, 318 in 2022, 25 in 2021, 19 in 2020 and 299 in 2019. </p>