More year-end nakas, stricter fines as KP intensifies drink-drive checks
Times of India | 30 December 2024
123 Kolkata: Brace for drink-driving checks from as early as 7 pm from Monday, a day before New Year's eve, even as cops plan to increase their daily nakas — now already increased to 50 per night — to around 75. Commissioner of police, Manoj Verma, has already said there will be zero tolerance for drink driving.
The Kolkata Traffic Police prosecuted 419 motorists and bikers for drunken driving between Dec 20 and Dec 25, almost 84 motorists per day. In the next three days, the cops prosecuted 271 motorists at an average of 90 drink cases a day.
Though fewer than last year, when cops prosecuted 106 persons per day and similar to 2022 when 83 persons per day were prosecuted in the Christmas week, the present daily average is much higher than the 65-70 persons who were being prosecuted per day even in the first and second weeks of Dec.
The traffic department has also requested the RTO to ensure that the maximum of its recommendations for temporary suspension of licences of such drivers and riders are carried out at the earliest.
Cops said the numbers shot up only because they have identified routes that riders and motorists were taking to escape the traditional nakas. Girish Park and Jorabagan are presently witnessing over a dozen drunken prosecutions. On DH Road-Banamali Naskar Road crossing, cops prosecute around four bikers and motorists for drink driving. In Park Street or Park Circus, the numbers were negligible with motorists aware of strong cop presence in the area.
Kolkata Police has claimed that a lot of Kolkatans are now heading towards the pubs at New Town and Salt Lake too and are getting prosecuted while returning.
"The Bidhannagar Police, too, has extensively cracked down on drink driving," said an officer.
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