Andhra Pradesh - Visakhapatnam

CP’s warning to revellers

VISAKHAPATNAM: Planning to race ahead on the city roads on your bike or car after downing a few glasses of liquor to ring in the New Year? Beware. The City Police have decided to crack the whip on revellers who have a free run on the roads.

Announcing this at a media conference on Tuesday, Police Commissioner N. Sambasiva Rao warned that stringent action would be initiated against those who cross the limits as part of the celebrations. A special drive would be conducted to check drunken driving with the help of four alcometers. The police would seize the vehicles and their records in such cases.

Video cameras would be used to detect eve-teasers, rash drivers and those driving on the wrong side of the roads. Special teams would also be used to nab those indulging in over-speeding and continuous honking, zig-zag driving.

Wine shops, bars, clubs and restaurants would be allowed to remain open only till 1 a.m. and retail shops like bakeries and sweet shops would have to close by midnight.

Mr. Sambasiva Rao said to prevent inconvenience to revellers on the Beach Road, vehicles wouldn’t be allowed between NTR statue and YMCA between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Visitors would have to park their vehicles in the parking lots between YMCA and VUDA Park and between Naval Coast Battery and Sagara Tarangalu. He cautioned parents against allowing their minor children to drive. He advised youth not to indulge in triple riding on motorcycles as it had often resulted in accidents.He also advised the public not to bathe in the sea and run the risk of drowning. The Police Commissioner said that there was a 20 per cent drop in the crime rate this year (till December 29) compared to 2007. While the total number of property offences recorded in 2007 were 1687, this year it was 1,350. The total value of property lost was Rs.3.64 lakhs this year as against Rs.4.54 lakhs last year. While 56 per cent of the cases were detected during both years, the percentage of recovery at 52 per cent was 2 per cent higher than last year, he added.

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