To address the issue of fatal road accidents linked to drunken driving, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has directed law enforcement agencies to compile a detailed report on liquor stores located within 100 metres of national highways. This review is aimed at enabling the government to take action to relocate these establishments.
In December 2017, the Supreme Court imposed a ban on liquor sales within 500 metres of the outer edge of national and state highways, with a reduced limit of 220 metres for areas with populations of 20,000 or fewer.
Tripura has reported 1,340 deaths and 3,724 injuries from 3,307 road accidents over the past six years. Despite a relatively low number of accidents compared to the state’s vehicle count of 787,203, Chief Minister Saha emphasised the need for police and other agencies to work towards reducing fatal accidents.
He highlighted the importance of addressing drunken driving by ensuring that a list of liquor stores within 100 metres of national highways is prepared. Saha also urged the police to enforce seat belt usage, which he noted is not widely practised in the state.
“Prepare a comprehensive report on liquor shops operating within 100 metres of national highways, and the government will take steps to relocate these outlets,” Saha instructed senior officials.
Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, expressing concern over the frequency of road accidents, stressed the need for increased awareness to prevent such incidents in the northeastern state.
“Tripura experiences 700 to 750 road accidents annually, resulting in 200 to 250 deaths each year. Out of 787,203 vehicles, over 500,000 are two-wheelers. Many fatalities are due to the lack of helmet use. We are deploying modern equipment to mitigate fatal accidents, but raising awareness is crucial to tackling this issue,” Chowdhury added.
With inputs from PTI