BENGALURU: The licences of 21,007 motorists in the city have been suspended for drunken driving over the last two years.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) R Hithendra said the Transport Department has suspended licences of 32,756 motorists for various traffic violations based on the recommendation of the traffic police. The number of licences suspended in the city has increased from 14,994 in 2015-16 to 17,762 in 2016-17 (till February).
The number of accidents in the city also increased from 4,828 in 2015 to 7,506 in 2016.
In 2015, a Supreme Court panel had asked all the states to suspend the licences of traffic rule violators for a minimum of three months. The violations include overspeeding, red light jumping, overloading goods carriages, people travelling in goods carriages, driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs and using cell phones while driving.
Hithendra said they have suspended most licences of those who are involved in drunken driving cases and repeat offenders. “We have decided to take stringent action against such violators,” he said.
While records show that the number of licences suspended for drunken driving has increased from 9,145 in 2015-16 to 11,862 in 2016-17 (till February), the number of cases booked against motorists for driving under the influence of alcohol is much higher. For instance, 62,576 people were booked for drunken driving in 2015 compared to 59,028 in 2016.
Traffic police officials said motorists cannot drive any vehicle when their licences are under suspension but sources said many offenders lodge fake complaints, stating that they have lost their licences.
“This will bring discipline among motorists when it comes to abiding traffic rules. Action will be initiated against those lodging fake complaints,” a senior police officer said.