Cuttack: Even as Odisha is all set to reintroduce stricter implementation of the amended Motor Vehicles Act from December 1, sources said that enforcement drives in the last two months have resulted in a sharp drop in the number of road mishaps across the State.
Additional director general of police (Crime Branch) Santosh Upadhyay on Thursday informed that as many as 5,856 persons were arrested for drunken driving across the State in the month of September and October 2019. While 2,394 drivers were arrested in September 2019; 3,462 persons were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in the month of October.
Presenting a comparative statement, Upadhyay stated that casualties in road mishaps also registered a drop as 315 road mishap deaths were reported in September 2019 against 368 deaths in September last year. Similarly, 350 deaths were reported in October 2019, while the casualties stood at 444 in October last year.
“On an average, 4,000 vehicles are being checked and so far 5,856 drunk drivers have been arrested in the last two months,” said Upadhyay adding that such enforcement activities will continue across Odisha.
Senior officials informed that highest of 1,191 arrests were made in Ganjam district followed by Mayurbahanj (702), Jajpur (635), Angul (395), Sundergarh (250), Kalahandi (214), Gajapati (212) and 244 persons were arrested in Dhenkanal for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Under the revised Motor Vehicles Act, which came into effect on September 1, 2019, any person found driving under the influence of alcohol is being arrested.