JOIN USCity police to emulate Delhi model
If the talks prove successful then it would be implemented in the city. In 2010, the police have registered as many as 2,600 drunken driving cases in various parts of the city. Despite campaign by the department to educate people against driving vehicles under the influence of alcohol, the people have failed to comply with the rules.
This has necessitated the police department to take firm action like temporary suspension of DL along with the fine. “We are requesting the permission of courts to grant permission for the suspension of driving license in order to discipline the drivers”, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime and Traffic) Rajendra Prasad.
He told Deccan Herald that the department has stepped up drive against drunken driving in various parts of the city basically to minimise that offense. The people, under the influence of alcohol, would not only do self accidents but also kill or injure innocent public.
Recently, a pedestrian was fatally knocked down by a driver who had consumed alcohol much beyond the permissible limits. Now the family of the deceased has virtually come to streets since he was the only bread winner of the four-member family. Seeing the economic condition of that family, one of the private hospitals has offered a job for that woman and she goes to work telling lies to her two children who so far, not knew that their father is dead. She was made to address a counselling organised by the police department to a group of persons who were booked for drunken driving. Some of them broke down after hearing the incident which totally shattered a happy family. Many of them vowed not to drink and drive vehicles in the future. Such incidents do occur in the city but hardly comes to the notice of the law enforcing agency.
Random checking
Rajendra Prasad said the traffic cops conduct random checking on Lalitha Mahal Road, Hunsur Road, Krishna Boulevard, Kuvempunagar and other places to book cases for drunken driving.
The department has no objection if they consume liquor at home but they should not drive on roads. In western countries, there is a concept of designate driver who will not drink while others will do. It will be on a rotation basis. However, such a system is not in vogue in India. If five friends go, all of them drink full and do accidents. Need of the hour was to educate people in this problem as it is slowly becoming rampant in the city. More cases are booked on weekends as the youths from Bangalore come here to enjoy and drive back under inebriated condition, he noted.
The Delhi Police have already implemented the system of suspending the driving license for a specific period if any person was caught red handed for drunken driving. A similar system would be introduced here too, if the law department gives its green signal for the same. The drive is being held regularly at different locations so that people should not blame the department that it was doing only to affect the business of a particular club or resort. “Our aim is to ensure safety and nothing else”, he added.