It’s only October and the UT police have already issued 3,300 drunk driving challans even as they are preparing to step up enforcement ahead of the festive season.
Traffic police have also been conducting special weekend drives to check drunken driving. Repeat offences can lead to cancellation of the licence by a court. The vehicle is impounded, and the offender must approach the court to secure its release and pay the fine. We have ramped up checks and deployed dedicated teams across the city with a zero-tolerance policy towards drunk driving. Celebrate responsibly, protect your loved ones.”
The bulk of this year’s challans were issued from May onwards, with over 2,500 violations detected in about four months. In one such drive on Saturday night, the police issued 86 challans and impounded all the vehicles involved. Under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, a first-time offender caught driving under the influence of alcohol can face imprisonment for up to six months, a fine of ₹ 10,000, or both. The offender’s driving licence can also be disqualified for at least six months under Section 20 (2) of the Act.
Sources said the number of drunk-driving checkpoints was considerably lower earlier in the year but was increased from May. This was one of the highest numbers of such challans recorded this year, police said. Senior superintendent of police (SSP, traffic) Sumer Pratap Singh said, “Celebrations should never come at the cost of public safety.
