153 challaned in Chandigarh for drunken driving on New Year’s Eve
In the neighbouring Panchkula and Mohali, 22 and 18 challans were issued, respectively
Traffic police challaned 153 people for drunken driving on New Year’s Eve. Even though this was the highest number of challans for this offence issued in a single day in 2019, it was the lowest on December 31 in the past four years. As many as 205 challans were issued on the day in 2017.
In the neighbouring Panchkula and Mohali, 22 and 18 challans were issued, respectively.
Twenty special nakas were set up across the city to check drunken driving besides 41 nakas on internal roads of the sectors and 12 around commercial centres. In all, 569 challans were issued, including 45 for speeding.
“People are aware of how strict traffic police are when it comes to enforcement. With penalties being hiked, especially for drunken driving, under the Motor Vehicles Act, many revellers opted for cabs or went for parties with designated drivers,” said deputy superintendent of police (DSP, traffic administration) Kewal Krishan.
According to Section 185 of the MV Act, an offender caught for drunken driving for the first time can be punished with up to six months of jail or ₹10,000 fine or both. The vehicle is also impounded. Further, the driving licence is suspended for at least six months.
Out of the 153 vehicles impounded for drunken driving, 143 were cars while 10 were two-wheelers. A police official said most of the impounded vehicles are from Punjab and Haryana. “Only about 20 local cars were impounded,” he said.