Intensifying their raids against the drivers of private buses, the transport department officials conducted breathalyser tests for the third consecutive day at Pottipadu Toll Gate on NH-16 in Krishna district on Friday till late into the night. As part of their checks, the motor vehicle inspectors registered cases and seized a tourist bus, a truck and a goods carrier. Deputy Transport Commissioner E Meera Prasad on Saturday said that a tourist bus belonging to Vijaya Datta Sai Travels bearing registration number AP07TC4666 was engaged by a marriage party.
The vehicle was travelling from Eluru to Vijayawada with 40 passengers. ‘’As part of our checks, we noticed that the bus driver is under the influence of alcohol to an extent of 60 mg/100 ml. Alternative driver was arranged for the convenience of passengers, who were dropped at Chodavaram and the seized vehicle was taken to Nidamanuru seizing yard,’’ he said. The DTC also informed that special teams were also constituted to intensify their raids across the district. But the drivers after coming to know about the raids are taking alternate routes and thereby putting the passengers’ lives at risk as they continuing to operate the vehicle under the influence of alcohol.
He appealed to the private travel operators not to allow their staff to operate the vehicle after consuming liquor and to make them aware about the precautionary measures to be taken while driving the vehicle. Meanwhile, the MVIs also seized a truck bearing registration numb e r n o AP16TX6599 travelling from Vijayawada to Assam with dry fish. The driver was in an inebriated condition and breathalyser reported 126 mg/100ml of alcohol content. Similarly, a scrap-laden vehicle bearing registration number AP37TC1034 travelling from Tadepalligudem to Ibrahimpatnam was seized as the driver’s breathalyser test reported 161 mg/100ml of alcohol.