3,276 driving licenses suspended for drunken driving in Odisha

Driving licenses of 3,276 people have been suspended and over Rs 50 lakh collected in Odisha for drunken driving in the first five months this year, authorities said today.
"Available data show that a total number of 4,794 drunken driving cases have been detected from January this year to May and a total number of 3,276 driving licenses have been suspended," Transport Commissioner C S Kumar said in a statement.
Rs 51.30 lakh has been collected as compounding fees and fines during the period, he said.
Kumar said regional transport offices and police commissionerate have been supplied with 80 new breath analyzers for testing the drunken position of drivers. Besides, Rs 15 crore has been budgeted for road safety this year.

Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan, during a high- level meeting, directed intensification of the drive to check drunken driving and make the initiative more result-oriented.
He asked officials to step-up mobile checking units and highway patrolling as road accidents not only cost human lives but also cause loss to the economy of the state and police.
Balakrishnan said that excise and transport departments need to take action.
The meeting resolved to intensify patrolling on highway and the traffic police was asked to keep strict vigilance on drunken driving.