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Citizens unhappy over ineffective campaign to check drink-driving cases
Following the directions from Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar, the traffic branch has checked 1,255 vehicle drivers and took action against 85 individuals under drink and driving offence and recovered ₹2.28 lakh fine from violators since Sunday, says official
Citizens and activists claim that the Pune police campaigns against drunk driving has been ineffective. They said the data released by the police of action against 1,152 individuals for drunk driving in the past two and a half years is very less as thousands of youngsters and citizens of different age are seen visiting pubs and hotels across the city.
Meanwhile, the fatal accident of a minor driving a Porsche car and mowing down two youngsters at Kalyaninagar early Sunday morning has prompted the authorities to take action against drink-driving.
Rohidas Pawar, deputy commissioner of police (DCP), traffic, said, “Following the directions from Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar, the traffic branch has checked 1,255 vehicle drivers and took action against 85 individuals under drink and driving offence and recovered ₹2.28 lakh fine from violators since Sunday.”
According to the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988, amended in 2019, if a person is found driving a vehicle beyond the permissible limit of 30 mg per 100 ml in blood, or drugs, they are subject to imprisonment and fines. The offender’s driving licence may also be suspended and subsequent offences carry even harsher penalties, the officer said.
During 2022, the traffic police acted against 37 errant drivers while 610 persons were booked for driving under the influence of alcohol in 2023. At least 505 individuals have been fined for similar offences in 2024, according to the data released by the Pune police.
The statistics revealed by the traffic branch regarding drunk driving cases reveal lack of will and effective action against those involved, activists rued.
According to the city traffic branch, for the first offence, the lawbreaker could face a fine of up to ₹10,000 and an imprisonment of up to six months. If the offence is repeated within a year, the fine can go up to ₹15,000 along with imprisonment of up to two years. In India, the legal drinking age is between 18 and 25 years, depending on different state laws.
In the event that drunk driving results in harm to another person, the offender faces up to two years in prison or a fine of ₹5,000. If an individual is killed as a result of drunk driving, the perpetrator may be sentenced to two to seven years in jail in addition to a fine, according to the Act.
Prashant Inamdar, traffic safety activist, stressed the need of joint efforts of citizens and police personnel for carrying out various traffic safety drives, including campaigns against those driving under the influence of alcohol.
“Stringent measures must be undertaken to curb the drink and drive menace and citizens must exercise caution and rectify their own selves so that such incidents are reduced over a period of time,” he said.
According to activists, special drives against drink-driving are restricted only for December 31 and get fizzled out throughout the year.
