Drunken driving: Police drive keeps cab service providers in high spirits

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 15

Cab service providers in the city have witnessed a surge in the demand of their service during late hours when the drunken driving nakas are laid.

The UT traffic police intensified its drive against drunken driving this year with 2,070 motorists already challaned for the offence, almost double as compared to 1,029 during the corresponding period last year. The steep rise in the number of drunken driving challans made many people look for ‘safer’ alternatives to being caught. Cab drivers claim there was more demand for their service late in the evening when nakas were laid to check drunken driving.

Paramjit Singh, an Uber cab driver, said during the past few months, he made several trips to Zirakpur from Chandigarh to drop youths at a night club, which was on the Ambala highway. “Most of the times, passengers are drunk, following which they hire a cab even as they own a car,” he added.

Sukhjinder, an Ola cab driver, said the demand was more during late hours, especially on the weekends.

An Ola spokesperson said they launched various initiatives, including partnering with various bars and pubs as an extension of their national campaign ‘PeekeMatChala’, which encouraged people to avoid drunken driving.

“Over the past six months, we have witnessed a considerable growth in customers booking Ola cabs at various bars and pubs in the city,” the spokesperson added.

Vishal, a resident of Sector 15 who is a frequent visitor to clubs, prefers to hire a cab instead of driving his SUV when under influence of liquor. “Since my friends and I take hard drinks at club, I make sure to commute by a cab. I attribute this habit to the drunken driving nakas laid frequently in the city,” he added.