No doubt, reopened bars are functioning as per Covid-19 protocol. So far so good. But the people of Hyderabad are saying that the real problems have started now. There have been no drunken driving and resultant road mishaps in the city for the last 7 months as people have confined to their homes. There were no drunken brawls on roads as bars have been shuttered. However, with the reopening of bars and pubs, all these problems have returned to the city roads. Police are now focusing again on drunken driving cases.
There used to be a number of drunken driving cases in posh areas of the city like Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills. Notwithstanding tall claims of acting tough on drunk drivers, police did nothing but imposing fines. This soft approach further emboldened the unruly tipplers, in many instances involving women, leading to surge in such incidents. There were incidents where the media too went overboard.
Spurt in cases
Boozers are flocking to bars as they have been reopened after 7 months. Moreover, the IPL has become an added attraction as tipplers want to enjoy their peg while watching matches on big screens in bars. After reopening of bars, there has been an increase in drunken driving cases and brawls. It has become a big headache for the cops to be on the watch out for drunk drivers – catching, arguing and counseling them. From being corona warriors for all these months, they are now busy controlling rowdy tipplers in the nights.
Spike in accidents
Police are expecting an increase in road accidents following the reopening of bars and pubs. Except a few minor road accidents, no fatalities were reported on the roads in the last 7 months. Police as well as non-governmental organisations (NGO) attribute earlier road accidents and deaths to drunk driving. Police now are facing a challenge of preventing such road mishaps again.
Besides tipplers returning from bars at midnight, youth are also indulging in wild bike racing on outer ring road as well as in city suburbs. Senior police officials are planning to take tough measures to control the boozers who now feel free to roam the city roads after 7 months.
