Vizag registers rise in drunk driving cases

Vizag registers rise in drunk driving cases
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The city of destiny has earned the dubious distinction of becoming number one in the State for registering cases for drunken driving. Imprisonment, heavy penalty and social disgrace have not deterred the tipplers. The sale of liquor has been increasing over the years and now it is available 24x7 in many areas.

Special drive to be undertaken on New Year eve

Visakhapatnam: The city of destiny has earned the dubious distinction of becoming number one in the State for registering cases for drunken driving. Imprisonment, heavy penalty and social disgrace have not deterred the tipplers. The sale of liquor has been increasing over the years and now it is available 24x7 in many areas. Dhabas and restaurants on the beach road and on the outskirts of the city have become the drinking joints for youngsters.

Most of the drink driving cases booked are against those returning from joints on the outskirts. The traffic police have started fanning out to curb drink driving. “People are finding new routes to escape the check posts temporarily put up to arrests tipplers, but we have started mounting operations on those routes too,” said Ad CP (traffic) K Mahendra Patrudu. The police were taking all steps to curb drink driving, he said.

The police registered 9,215 drink driving cases till end of November. As many as 208 persons were sent to prison ranging between two and five days depending on the level of intoxication of driver in each case. A record amount of Rs 85 lakh was also collected as fine from the offenders.

Last year it was 7,774 cases with 31 going to prison. Vijayawada has registered 5,590 cases till November end this year and Tirupati 5,400 cases during the same period. The offenders represent different sections of the society. Among those who were recently caught include naval personnel, IT professionals, and students from professional colleges, auto-rickshaw drivers and realtors.

The Ad CP said special drive would be organised on the eve of New Year to ensure that nothing untoward happens. Beach road would be closed for all vehicles between 8 pm till 8 am the next day on the eve of New Year to control the menace of speed driving. Orders would issued to all the hotels, bars and restaurants, wine shops and places where events would organised to strictly maintain the timings of sale of alcohol, the Ad CP said.

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