Gurgaon: Police in the city have decided to register FIRs against motorists found driving under the influence of alcohol, adding criminal action to the existing penalties of challans, suspension of licences and impounding of vehicles. The move follows a similar push against wrong-side drivers earlier this year.Under the revised measures, drivers found to have consumed excessive liquor after a breathalyser test will face a challan, a three-month suspension of their driving licence, and registration of an FIR. The vehicle can be impounded too.
Earlier, police would issue challans and suspend licences, impounding vehicles only when alcohol levels exceeded the prescribed limit.A traffic police officer said the enforcement would be immediate on the ground. “After a drunk driver is caught during checks by traffic cops, he will be taken to the police station for registration of an FIR. Or, cops at the nearest police station will be informed,” the officer said.Officials said the tougher approach was aimed at preventing repeat offences and reducing the risk to other road users. Police data shows that 26,122 drunken-driving challans were issued in the city last year.“This could be a major step to restrict drunk driving and save precious lives on the road. Such gross violations not only claim the life of the defaulter but also cause the death of others using the road. These campaigns will continue in the future too to make the city safe for commuters,” a police officer said.The crackdown is being carried out under the direction of police commissioner Vikas Arora and supervision of DCP (traffic) Rajesh Mohan, with traffic teams conducting regular drives across the city.The decision mirrors police’s recent stance on wrong-side driving, particularly on highways and major arterial roads, where FIRs are now being filed “more consistently”. Police have said challans alone were not deterring habitual offenders, and that criminal cases may be registered — often for repeat offenders, but also against first-timers on high-speed corridors — under relevant BNS provisions, depending on circumstances.Last month, 20 FIRs were registered against wrong-side drivers. Around 2 lakh motorists were challaned for the offence in 2025.In Jan this year, city police issued 1.3 lakh traffic challans, including 1,314 for drunk driving, 11,731 for wrong-side driving, 10,868 for speeding, 12,083 for wrong-side parking, 5,033 for driving without seat belts, 17,145 for riding without helmets, 905 for use of black films and 3,555 for illegal lane changes.
