Road closures, strict drunk-driving vigil: Hyderabad traffic advisory for Dec 31

With just a few days left for New Year celebrations to begin, Cyberabad Traffic Police on Wednesday released a set of restrictions and guidelines to ensure public safety in Hyderabad on December 31 (Sunday).

The advisory issued by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Cyberabad includes the closure of several roads in the city, regulations for cab/taxi/auto-rickshaw operators, guidelines for bars, pubs, and other similar establishments and general instructions for the public.

ROAD CLOSURES

In the interest of public safety, certain road closures have been mandated on the night of December 31. The Nehru Outer Ring Road and PVNR Expressway will be inaccessible for light motor vehicles, except those heading towards the Airport, during the late hours from 10 pm to 5 am.

Additionally, various critical flyovers, including Shilpa Layout, Gachibowli, Bio-diversity flyovers 1 & 2, Shaikpet, Mindspace, Road No.45, Durgam Cheruvu Cable Bridge, Cyber Tower, Forum Mall-JNTU, Khaithlapur, Babu Jagjivan Ram (Balanagar), and AMB (Kondapur), will be entirely closed for vehicular and pedestrian movement from 11 pm to 5 am.

The public is urged to plan their travel accordingly and cooperate with the on-duty Traffic Police official.

ADVISORY FOR TAXI/CAB/ OPERATORS:

Operators of cabs, taxis, and auto-rickshaws are required to adhere to specific regulations. They must be in proper uniform and carry all necessary documents.

Refusing a ride on hire is strictly prohibited, as it is a violation of Section 178 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and will result in a penalty of Rs. 500.

Additionally, complaints regarding refusals can be reported through WhatsApp at 9490617346. Furthermore, operators are expected to conduct themselves professionally, refraining from any form of misbehaviour towards the public or demanding excessive fares.

ADVISORY FOR BARS, PUBS, RESTAURANTS

Bars, pubs, clubs, and similar establishments have been issued specific directives. Any establishment found allowing customers or associates to drive under the influence of alcohol will face strict legal action.

The management will be prosecuted for abetting the crime. Establishments are also mandated to educate their patrons about the severe consequences of drunk driving and are encouraged to make alternative travel arrangements for their customers.

ADVISORY FOR PUBLIC

Traffic Police will install special cameras to detect violations such as over-speeding, wrong route, signal jumping, rash driving, and riding without helmets.

Strict actions will be taken against violators identified through these cameras. Extensive checks for drunk-driving will be conducted from 8 pm onwards on December 31. Vehicles without proper documents will be taken into temporary safe custody.

The use of high-decibel sound systems in vehicles is strictly prohibited, and non-compliance will result in detention and further action by the Regional Transport Office (RTO).

CONSEQUENCES OF DRUNK-DRIVING

A stern warning has been issued regarding the consequences of drunk driving. Cases under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, will be booked against drunk drivers. First-time offenders face a penalty of Rs. 10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 6 months, while subsequent offences incur a penalty of Rs. 15,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 2 years.

Seizure of driving licences and their subsequent suspension or revocation by the concerned Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) is part of the penalty. In cases where a person under the influence of alcohol causes a fatal road accident, criminal charges under Section 304 part-II of the IPC (Culpable homicide not amounting to murder) will be pressed, leading to arrest and imprisonment.