Traffic Police has launched a special drive against drunken driving across the State and different squads are deputed along with breath analysers at prominent places on national highways as well as in close vicinity of busy places like clubs, pubs, hotels and restaurants, particularly during New Year celebrations.This was informed by IGP Traffic, Viplav Kumar here today. He said that Traffic Headquarters is taking strenuous efforts to ensure strict compliance of traffic rules in order to ensure better traffic management in the State. He said that besides taking preventive measures, punitive action will be taken against the errant drivers to check the menace of traffic violations. A series of measures has already been initiated to bring awareness among the road users and penalize the operators violating traffic rules, said the IGP, urging the people not to drive their vehicles in drunken state.
Viplav Kumar said that Supreme Court of India has recently issued directions to the stakeholders for strict action against the driving under influence of drink and drug. It was observed that any action taken cannot be effective as along as driving licence will remain with the violator and has directed that the traffic police should take possession of the licence of person driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and forward it to Transport Authorities, Regional Transport Officer concerned, who would suspend the licence for three months.The IGP reiterated that traffic police during the special drive would seize licence of the person driving under the influence of drink and drug and forward it to the Transport Department for its suspension. He said that the drive would continue to ensure safety of the people and smooth traffic movement on the roads.