Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has temporarily suspended all breath-analyser tests undertaken by traffic police to check drunk driving cases.
However, the police is determined that this will not deter it's drive to crack drunk driving cases. Mumbai Traffic Police will be subjecting suspect motorists driving under the influence of alcohol to blood tests to check consumption levels. Hence, the drive will be on only sans the use of breath analyzers.
Recently, Vinay Kargaonkar, Additional Director General of Police (Traffic) , issued a circular which stated, in a bid to contain the spread of the virus, police personnel in all units should not conduct breath-analyser tests for alcohol consumption on motorists. However, the test would be resumed once the situation gets normal, the circular clarified.
Earlier, the Mumbai Traffic Police had decided to go ahead with the daily checks, ensuring precautionary measures, citing such important checks on the city streets cannot be given up amid COVID-19 scares in a large metropolis like Mumbai. However, they had to eventually take their words back as the state government decided otherwise.
"If found, suspects will be taken to nearby government hospitals, where they will undergo blood tests to ascertain their blood-alcohol levels," said a senior traffic official, requesting confidentiality.
