Mumbai: New Year's Eve sees lowest drink driving cases in seven years

A traffic cop conducts a drink driving check at Andheri near the Bisleri company junction on New Year's

Take a bow Mumbai, the traffic police have credited citizens for this December 31 seeing the lowest number of drink driving cases in seven years. Of course, it was coupled with consistent awareness drives by the traffic cops against violations and also surprise checks. The police had also deployed its entire strength on the roads to make New Year's Eve safe.

New Year revellers at Marine Drive. Pics/Sameer Markande, Nimesh Dave

The traffic police had 85 check points across the city. They started checks at 4pm near the entry points to the city and at major roads. From New Year's Eve till 6am on January 1, there was no fatal accident in the city.

'A good sign'
Pleased with the outcome of the rigorous drives, Joint Commissioner (Traffic) Mumbai Amitesh Kumar said, "This year we had increased the number of check points and asked cops to create surprise points. The number of motorists checked this year (9,800) is greater than that of last year (approx. 6,000). But this year the number of drink driving cases is less (455) compared to 2017 (615 cases). This is a good sign." Thane topped the list of drink drive (DD) cases (2,071) and Navi Mumbai (353) followed Mumbai.

Joint Commissioner of Police Deven Bharati walks with personnel from Marine Lines to Nariman Point during bandobast. Pic/Nimesh Dave

The traffic cops' drive against traffic violations was helped by the Twitter handle of Mumbai Police and voices from dignitaries in various sectors. State Transport Minister Diwakar Raote had held a meeting on December 31 with all stakeholders like the traffic police and RTO officials. During this meeting, a decision was taken to suspend the licenses of motorists caught driving drunk, for six months. In all, 2,879 motorists from Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai could lose their driving licences for six months.

In other cities
Navi Mumbai Traffic cops had also started suspending licenses for major traffic violations for past two months. Navi Mumbai Traffic DCP Sunil Lokhande said, "On 31st we had only 353 cases of drink driving, which is less that other cities." Thane RTO officer Shyam Lohi said, "Thane traffic officials booked 2,071 motorists for driving drunk."
Inputs from Anamika Gharat

Police lay fluid trap, avoid regular check-points
Mid-day's photo-journalists on their nightly prowl did not spot checkpoints at the usual spots. One journalist who travelled from Bandra to Goregaon to Juhu to Andheri did not spot any checks at regular spots like the WEH (between Kala Nagar and Vakola flyovers), WEH (at the airport), near Sai Prasad restaurant under the Jog flyover, Chhota Kashmir at Aarey, and near Juhu chowpatty, outside Tulip Star, and MIDC. However, Bisleri at Andheri, which usually does not have road blocks, had a check point.

Also not seen at
' Powai L&T
' SEEPZ
' Juhu Circle, near Croma
' Vikhroli Godrej
' Gandhi Nagar

Year and drunk drivers booked
2018 455
2017 615
2016 565
2015 705

Also Read: Mumbai: 455 cases of drunk driving registered on January 1

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