By IANS
New Delhi/Mumbai : Drunken drivers beware! Police officers from the commissioner downwards will be out on the streets Monday night to check drunken driving, and anyone too tipsy behind the wheel may find himself behind bars instead.
“Those found guilty will be fined heavily and may even be put behind bars,” a senior officer of Delhi police warned sternly.
While the Mumbai police too warned that drunken driving would “not be permitted under any circumstance”, the Maharashtra government’s decision to extend the happy hours till almost dawn brought a cheer to New Year revellers.
The closing time for bars in Mumbai was extended from 1.30 a.m. to 5 a.m. and liquor vends allowed to stay open till 1 a.m.
In Delhi, the police tried to put the fear of law among the revellers. “Don’t be surprised if you come across the police commissioner (Y.S. Dadwal). He is scheduled to monitor all arrangements personally and will take quick rounds of the city,” a senior police official said.
“We have formed 40 special teams to trap drunken drivers. The teams will be equipped with alcohol meters. Security arrangements will be monitored by top officials,” Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police (Traffic) Qamar Ahmed said.
He said two magistrates have been deputed to prosecute drivers found in an inebriated state. In its move against drunken driving since Dec 24, the traffic police have already prosecuted 350 people.
Delhi Metro too decided to curtail its services Monday night to protect commuters and Metro property from vandals.
Delhi Metro spokesman Anuj Dayal said: “The last trains from Vishwa Vidyalaya and Central Secretariat would be at 8:15 p.m. and 8:25 p.m. respectively.”
He said that on Indraprastha to Dwarka Sector-9, normal services would stop at 8:18 pm. “The last train from Dwarka Sector-9 to Indraprastha will start at 7:34 pm while the last train from Indraprastha to Dwarka Sector-9 will leave at 8:18 pm,” said Dayal.
On Line-III, normal service will be available between Dwarka Sector-9 and Karol Bagh till 11:00 pm. The last train from Karol Bagh to Dwarka Sector-9 will start at 10:47 pm while the last train from Dwarka Sector-9 to Karol Bagh will leave at 10:00 pm.
In Mumbai, the Maharashtra government decided to let the people party almost till dawn, bringing cheer to New Year revellers. The closing time for bars was extended from 1.30 a.m. to 5 a.m., and shops selling all types of liquor allowed to remain open till 1 a.m. instead of usual 10.30 p.m.
To top this, the government gave temporary permits to serve liquor to restaurants that do not have regular licences.
The Maharashtra government hopes to garner additional excise revenue of around Rs.6 billion during the last week of 2007, official sources said.
“Our drive this year (2007) has created great public awareness of this serious offence (of drunken driving. Though we have not set any targets for New Year’s eve and New Year, my men will be on the lookout for violators of the law,” joint commissioner of police (traffic) Vijay Kamble told IANS Monday.
In the past six months, the Mumbai police initiated a successful campaign against drunk drivers and so far scores have landed behind bars.
During Christmas Eve last Monday, 207 drunken drivers were nabbed, including a doctor and some top executives.
Six were sentenced to a month in jail, three more for a fortnight and others for periods ranging from a day to a week in prison. According to the police, a stint in jail has proved a bigger deterrent to drunken drivers than hefty fines.
Since July, 2,555 persons have been booked for drunken driving in Mumbai. Driving licences of 2,695 have been suspended and the total fines collected in 2007 crossed the Rs.20 million-mark this month.
Hotels in Mumbai are going the extra mile to ensure patrons have a happy time but do not land behind bars. For the first time, hundreds of drivers have been hired to ferry tipsy revellers home – for a fee, of course.
The Green Court Club at Mira Road has kept five drivers on standby to ferry patrons who get high on New Year’s Eve, according to Club director Vijay Saini.
According to one estimate, around 3,000 drivers shall be pressed into service overnight.
The police have, however, advised motorists to use railways or other forms of public transport to avoid traffic congestion on New Year’s Eve.
There will be traffic restrictions in some parts of both Delhi and Mumbai Monday night.
Entry of vehicles to Connaught Place in the heart of the national capital will be restricted.
In Mumbai, popular beach and sea front getaways in and around the city will be under traffic restrictions.