TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: After the devastating late-night accident caused due to drunk driving in the capital city by a woman driver in July, the traffic department in a special night drive during the last 26 days has booked 594 cases of drunken driving.
On Independence Day, traffic officials booked 26 drivers in the exercise that will continue in future as well.
While the department figures indicate a significant increase in the number of cases compared to last calendar, a meagre 179 persons failed breathalyzer test. Most of the cases were reported in the coastal belt while about 15-20 cases were registered in Panjim this year till July. The department, presently equipped with 35 alcometers, recently floated a tender for additional eight of these, while three have already been sanctioned for purchase in South Goa. The tender was floated before the Lok Sabha elections, but since only one vendor showed interest in the bid, the government scrapped the tender and re-floated it on July 16, 2014.
On Saturday, the police PRO stated that the traffic officials have purchased four alcometers while 12 are in the process of being delivered.
