Cuttack, Aug. 11: The regional transport office has decided to act tough on people driving under the influence of alcohol.

A crackdown on drink driving has been launched to curb the nuisance, which poses a serious threat to the lives of commuters on public roads.

As many as 28 cases of traffic violations, including five cases of drink driving, were detected and a fine of Rs 12,300 was collected during the special drive carried out by the regional transport office (RTO) in Cuttack last week.

It was the first major enforcement drive undertaken by RTO officials to curb the menace this year.

The RTO had earlier lacked necessary equipment, particularly breath-analysers that have now been provided by the state transport authority to intensify the crackdown on the violators. Although the officials had planned to carry out an enforcement drive in July, it had to be postponed due to the rath yatra.

"We have launched a special drive against drink driving and such enforcement activities will be carried out on a weekly basis at prominent points within the city limits," said Dipti Ranjan Patra, the regional transport officer of Cuttack.

"A fine of Rs 2,000 is being collected from those found driving under the influence of alcohol and the enforcement drive will be carried out throughout the year in a systematic manner," said Patra.

A special squad of RTO officials will conduct surprise checks on major city roads as well as on the NH-5 that connects Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

An interceptor vehicle is also being used during the drive to check over-speeding and rash driving which have also emerged as major areas of concern for the commuters.

"The main objective of such drives is to put a check on rash driving as well as minimising the loss of life and property in road accidents," said an official of the transport department.

Most people being booked for flouting laws on highways are car and truck drivers, while those booked in the city are motorcycle riders.

"The police are conducting special drives at regular intervals to check drink driving," said Sanjeev Arora, the deputy commissioner of police.

A senior police official said the number of drink driving cases almost doubled in the last three years in Cuttack.

According to available figures, 3,628 cases of drink driving and drunkenness in public places were registered in 2012 while the number of violations stood at 6,172 by the end of 2014.

"Drink driving is a matter of grave concern. Citizens are facing a torrid time while passing liquor shops after 10.30pm as a large number of motorists are driving under the influence of alcohol," said Kartik Sahu, a resident of Buxi Bazar.

Sahu said the enforcement drive should be intensified and conducted at least thrice in a day and the authorities should focus on all the major public roads.