BHUBANESWAR: The Supreme Court committee on road safety, which monitors compliance with traffic rules, has asked police forces across the states to arrest inebriated drivers, and to recommend the suspension of their driving licences (DLs) to the regional transport offices (RTOs). Things on the ground, however, are very different.
Police have been upbraided by the state transport department for sending very few DL suspension recommendations to the RTOs in spite of making a sizable number of arrests.
The proceedings of a recent meeting, released on January 29, said 4,485 people were held for drink driving in September 2019 alone. Police, however, asked the RTOs to suspend the DLs of only 496 people.
"We have drawn the attention of the state police to the poor follow-up action by their personnel. Those in the enforcement squads should be trained to make both arrests and recommendations of DL suspension," a senior transport officer said. "We appreciate the effort of police in arresting drunk drivers every day, but the follow-up action - asking RTOs to suspend the DL of the offender - is poor," the officer added.
The need for strong follow-up action is pressing since the number of arrests for driving under the influence or DUI has gone up. More than 10,000 people were arrested for DUI across the state in the last four months of 2019, after police launched a campaign against drink driving on September 6, 2019, following the implementation of the amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act on September 1. Inebriated drivers face a six-month jail term and Rs 10,000 fine under the amended act.
The transport officer also pointed out that, in 2018, Odisha had earned the dubious distinction of having recorded the second-highest number of road deaths caused by drink driving after Uttar Pradesh. The officer cited a recent report released by the ministry of road transport and highways that says 555 drink driving deaths were reported in the state in 2018.
The transport department has also criticized the RTOs for not taking strong action against those driving drunk or over-speeding.
"We had given the RTOs specific targets as far as action against drunk drivers and over-speeding was concerned. Many RTOs have failed to achieve even 20 per cent of the target," the officer added.
Police have been upbraided by the state transport department for sending very few DL suspension recommendations to the RTOs in spite of making a sizable number of arrests.
The proceedings of a recent meeting, released on January 29, said 4,485 people were held for drink driving in September 2019 alone. Police, however, asked the RTOs to suspend the DLs of only 496 people.
"We have drawn the attention of the state police to the poor follow-up action by their personnel. Those in the enforcement squads should be trained to make both arrests and recommendations of DL suspension," a senior transport officer said. "We appreciate the effort of police in arresting drunk drivers every day, but the follow-up action - asking RTOs to suspend the DL of the offender - is poor," the officer added.
The need for strong follow-up action is pressing since the number of arrests for driving under the influence or DUI has gone up. More than 10,000 people were arrested for DUI across the state in the last four months of 2019, after police launched a campaign against drink driving on September 6, 2019, following the implementation of the amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act on September 1. Inebriated drivers face a six-month jail term and Rs 10,000 fine under the amended act.
The transport officer also pointed out that, in 2018, Odisha had earned the dubious distinction of having recorded the second-highest number of road deaths caused by drink driving after Uttar Pradesh. The officer cited a recent report released by the ministry of road transport and highways that says 555 drink driving deaths were reported in the state in 2018.
The transport department has also criticized the RTOs for not taking strong action against those driving drunk or over-speeding.
"We had given the RTOs specific targets as far as action against drunk drivers and over-speeding was concerned. Many RTOs have failed to achieve even 20 per cent of the target," the officer added.
Trending Topics
LATEST VIDEOS
More from TOI
Navbharat Times
Featured Today in Travel
Get the app