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Hyderabad: Hyderabad’s traffic police have intensified their campaign against drunk driving, imposing fines exceeding Rs 5.66 crore and suspending 144 driving licences between January and June this year, in a concerted effort to tackle alcohol-related accidents on the city’s roads.
Between January and June 2025, police recorded 27,820 cases of drunk driving. Of these, 1,229 offenders were jailed for periods ranging from six to twenty days. In one instance, a repeat offender had their licence permanently revoked.
Professional drivers, including operators of school vans, auto-rickshaws, and public transport vehicles, were among those penalised. In total, 144 licences were suspended during the first half of the year under the Motor Vehicles Act.
Drunk driving checks, once largely confined to late-night hours, are now being conducted during the day following a worrying rise in motorists drinking earlier in the day to evade detection. The shift in strategy has enabled officers to catch offenders off guard and maintain heightened vigilance across the city.
One particularly concerning case involved an interstate bus driver travelling between Hyderabad and Bengaluru who was discovered heavily intoxicated while on duty, showing blatant disregard for both passenger safety and traffic regulations.
The clampdown comes against the backdrop of sobering statistics. Over the six-month period, 147 serious accidents were linked to drunk driving, resulting in 152 deaths and 148 severe injuries. Another 998 people sustained minor injuries, with pedestrians bearing a heavy brunt, accounting for 49 fatalities and 314 injuries.
In response, the traffic police are expanding their operations with intensified surveillance, broader checking zones and surprise inspections at all hours. Repeat offenders and commercial drivers now face harsher penalties, including licence cancellations, custodial sentences and mandatory counselling.
As the crackdown intensifies, traffic officials have urged the public to exercise greater responsibility, warning that the emerging trend of daytime drinking poses a serious hazard to all road users. They stressed that driving under the influence endangers not only the offender but also pedestrians and fellow motorists.
