Mumbai: 523 motorists caught driving under the influence on NYE

While 98 motorists were caught in south Mumbai, 141 were caught in the eastern and central suburbs. The highest number of inebriated motorists, 284, were caught in the city’s western and northern suburbs.

In a 10-hour-long special drive conducted by the city’s traffic police on December 31, as many as 523 motorists were caught driving under the influence of alcohol. Between December 23, when the drive started, and December 30, the police had already penalised 617 motorists who were caught driving drunk.

Mumbai-traffic-cops-used-breath-analysers-to-keep-a-check-on-drivers-driving-under-influence-on-the-eve-of-the-New-year-in-Andheri-Mumbai-Prodip-Guha-HT-photo

Television actor Siddharth Shukla was one among the hundreds caught drink driving on New Year's eve, said the police.

While 98 motorists were caught in south Mumbai, 141 were caught in the eastern and central suburbs. The highest number of inebriated motorists, 284, were caught in the city’s western and northern suburbs.

“Shukla was heading towards Juhu Chowpatty from Juhu Circle in his Mercedes, when he was intercepted. He was administered the breath-analyser test, and found to have alcohol levels over the permissible limit. He was booked under sections of the Motor Vehicles Act,” said V Dhatrak, senior inspector at the DN Nagar traffic outpost.

More than 1,500 traffic and city police personnel were deployed to keep a check on motorists on Wednesday. The officials had arranged for 72 checkpoints across the city, to keep tabs on motorists and revellers.

The police also registered 1,055 other cases of traffic violation, including cases of rash driving and driving without seat belts.

While the campaign against drink driving was started in 2007, motorists in Mumbai continue to flout traffic regulations and drive under the influence. In 2013, 568 inebriated motorists were caught. Last week, two accidents occurred in the city as a result of drink driving.