Smooth ride home for Bangalore’s pub drinkers

BANGALORE - Binge drinkers at Bangalore pubs can now get a safe ride home after some hectic partying, that too for free!

Having realised that mere appeals to party revellers not to drink and drive hardly has a sobering impact, police are backing an initiative to drive home the drunk from the city’s many pubs.

“The idea is to dissuade people from taking to the wheel after they are drunk. The city has seen a large number of drunken driving-related road accidents,” Additional Commissioner of Police (traffic) Praveen Sood told IANS.

Sood was chief guest at the launch of an initiative by a popular FM channel, Radio One, and taxi-service provider Easy Cabs to give a free ride home to revellers throughout this month.

“Pub-goers can now avail themselves of the free taxi service to their homes,” Sood said lauding the initiative.

The offer has so far attracted 12 popular pubs - mostly located on M.G. Road at the city centre where thousands gather on New Year’s eve - which have agreed to persuade their patrons to avail themselves of the free taxi service after their drinking sessions.

“We’re thankful to Easy Cabs and Radio One for helping us with this plan,” added Sood.

According to the Bangalore traffic police, the city generally witnesses a rise in the number of drunken driving-related accidents in the months of December and January.

“We want to put an end to the trend of people driving under the influence of alcohol. Since it is party season, we want to be more vigilant,” said Sood.

His department has partnered with Radio One to campaign against the drunken driving menace and encourage safe driving measures.

“Pubs should also be vigilant and should not allow their clients to drive after they are drunk. Especially during night, Bangalore witnesses rash driving, mostly under the influence of alcohol. Strict rules like cancellation of driving licences should be enforced by the traffic police to end the drunken driving-related accidents,” said Madhu Raman, a school teacher.