KOCHI: It seems like the police action is not deterrent enough to stop drivers with a weakness for alcohol from taking the wheel. In spite of a spate of police operations in the past week, five drivers were again booked for drunk driving in a joint raid by the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) and the police on Wednesday. The action came in the view of a rising number of accidents involving private buses. Rash and negligent driving on the part of the private bus drivers claimed two lives on Monday; that of a 21-year-old woman in Aluva and a 58-year-old woman near the Kalady Masjid.
Aneesa Dolly, the former, died when a speeding private bus banged into her scooter from behind near the Ashramam Junction in Aluva. Her father Jerochan who was riding pillion also sustained grievous injuries. According to the police, the accident took place when the private bus driver carelessly attempted to avoid a pothole. Shockingly, preliminary investigations into the case revealed the driver possessed no valid license to drive heavy vehicles.
In the second incident, the woman fell off her husband's two-wheeler after it was hit by a bus from behind. She died after coming under the wheels of the bus. On the same day, the police booked an 18-year-old door-checker of a private bus who also drove the bus and caused an accident at Aluva stand.
Notwithstanding the stringent measures announced by the police from time to time, private buses seem to be having a free run in the city and its suburbs. The data with the Ernakulam Rural Police shows a sharp rise in the number of accidents despite claims by the police of an intensive crackdown on traffic rule violators.
As many as 211 persons lost their lives in 2,448 road accidents reported in the rural district between January and September this year. In another disturbing statistic, the cases of drunk driving have witnessed a rise: 20,860 cases were registered this year until September 30 against 20,652 cases in 2016.
"We will initiate the steps to cancel the permit of buses violating rules," said Ernakulam Rural SP A V George who led the joint operation. Aluva Joint RTO C S Ayyappan said the driving license of persons found driving under the influence of alcohol will also be revoked for six months. Special awareness classes will be imparted to private bus drivers.
The MVD also plans to hold surprise inspections. According to data with the city police, 10,514 cases were registered for overspeeding. The police also charged 3,885 cases for drunk driving, and 3,165 cases for violating traffic signals and one-way traffic system. A total of 1,696 accidents have been reported till August, with 91 deaths and 1,160 persons sustaining grievous injuries in these accidents.On October 25, the police booked 92 school bus drivers for drunk driving in a surprise raid named Operation Little Star, in Kochi city, Ernakulam rural, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Idukki police districts.