Mobile nakas to avoid snarl-ups during drunken driving drives

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 15

To prevent traffic snarls caused during drives against drunken driving, the UT traffic police are mulling over holding mobile nakas instead of static ones. The move will not only save sober commuters from harassment while being stuck in long queues but also help cops in catching more offenders.

Mobile nakas is one of the new initiatives taken by the traffic police in the recent past, under which locations of nakas are changed after an hour. With the drive against drunken driving intensified in the city, commuters have to face harassment at nakas.

It is not just the alcometer test that commuters have to go through. They have to endure a patience test too while remaining stuck in long queues of vehicles. 

The police put up barricades on the roads, which slows down traffic as every driver is asked to undergo alcometer test.

Shashank Anand, SSP (Traffic), said since nakas on some roads lead to long queues they were planning to do away with static nakas and focus on mobile nakas. 

The drunken driving challans issued this year has already crossed the figure of total challans issued in last year. In 2016, 5,033 persons were challaned for drunken driving. As many offenders have already been challaned this year. September witnessed the maximum number of drunken driving challans this year. A total of 1,158 persons were driving under the influence of liquor.