Trafficblockstopatrolling:copsset to keepmumbaisafeon New Year’s Eve

Traffic curbs at all popular spots; 2,500 officers will be out on the streets to check rash and drink driving by revellers

MUMBAI: As the city makes plans for the New Year’s Eve, the traffic department of the Mumbai Police has decided to restrict traffic movement at popular spots such as Nariman Point, Girgaum and Marine Drive to prevent accidents.

More than 2,500 officers and personnel from the traffic police will be on the streets across Mumbai, along with over 200 volunteers, to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

The traffic police will be armed with over 200 breathanalyzers. The traffic police have 34 divisions across Mumbai, there will be two-three nakabandis in each division.

A senior traffic police officer said, “The northbound stretch from Nariman Point till Girgaum will be closed for vehicular movement from 6pm on December 31 till 6am on January 1 and no parking will be allowed there. There will be traffic diversions. There will be traffic curbs at more places across city. We will issue further notifications on Monday.”

“The patrolling will be carried out on all arterial roads and other small roads, which have bars, pubs and discothèques,” said another senior traffic police officer.

The city saw 13,195 cases of drink driving till November, up from last year’s 11,711 over 12 months.

A total of 2,506 licences have been suspended so far, compared to 1,816 last year.

Madhukar Pandey, joint commissioner, chief of traffic police, said, “Nakabandis are being organised at different locations. We started a special drive from December 26 to crack down on motorists violating traffic rules. In addition to our records, we are consulting cab aggregators to find spots which see heavy traffic movement. We will also watch out for rash driving, driving without helmet, speeding and jumping signal.”

Pravin Padwal, additional commissioner of police, traffic, said, “We will show zero tolerance for drink and rash driving. We have urged establishments such as hotels to ensure they provide parking space to their patrons and don’t cause traffic jams in the area. We have urged them to ask their patrons to avoid drink driving.”