'Step up naka checking, take strict action against drunk driving'

kolkata: Commissioner of Police (CP), Kolkata, Vineet Kumar Goyal has instructed the OC's of traffic guards and police stations to become more vigilant at night and increase naka checking in order to prevent accidents and act against errant motorists.

Goyal has also instructed the cops on field to take stringent action against the drunk motorists as mentioned in the section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act.

On Saturday during a meeting at the Alipore Body Guard Lines, the CP said that though the number of accident in the city has gone down since the commencement of Safe Drive Save Life (SDSL) in 2016, traffic cops need to put more stress on naka checking at strategic points in the city in order to further reduce the number of accidents. Goyal also instructed the police stations to conduct naka checking as well.

As per the database of Kolkata Police, 407 persons were killed in road accidents in 2016. The figure went down to 329 in 2017, 194 in 2018, 267 in 2019, 201 in 2020 and 196 in 2021.During the meeting it was pointed out that a good number of accidents happen due to drunk driving.

Also it was mentioned that a section of people when caught violating traffic rules connects influential people over phone who generally ask on-duty cops to release the offending motorists. However, CP has clearly instructed the traffic cops to perform their duties without getting influenced.Sources informed that Goyal has further instructed that the visibility of cops need to be increased so that people can feel safe while driving or commuting even at night.

Apart from patrolling on the main carriageways, the CP also instructed the cops to increase patrolling frequency in the by-lanes and alleys using two wheelers.