IANS/New Delhi
Police have increased vigil in Delhi on the eve of the Hindu festival of Holi.
Some 200 traffic police special checking teams along with patrol vans will be stationed on roads and at strategic locations besides intersections all over the national capital to check drunken driving and other traffic violations, police officials said yesterday.
India celebrates the festival of colours today.
“The special check points will be placed on roads from morning in crowded areas to control motorists. The police stations have been asked to ensure proper vigil,” a police officer said.
In cases of drunken driving, besides prosecution, the drivers are liable to be arrested and their vehicles impounded, he added.
Action will also be taken against the registered owners whose vehicles are found to be driven by minors, unauthorised people or without licence besides being used to perform stunts.
Drunken driving is punishable with a jail term and suspension of driving licence besides fines.
Last year, there were at least 10,339 prosecutions of which 3,914 were for driving without helmets, 1,819 for red light jumping, 973 for triple riding, 124 for dangerous driving, 1,278 for drunken driving and for other traffic-related violations.
In addition, 581 vehicles were also impounded during the special drive.
Lt Governor Najeeb Jung appealed to Delhiites to celebrate the festival in its “true spirit.”
“The festival of Holi marks the arrival of spring and ushers in joy and happiness for all. I extend warm greetings to one and all on this joyous occasion,” Jung said in a message.
He added that the myriad colours of Holi symbolise the “multi-hued” unity of India which he said “is our greatest strength.”
“I hope this festival binds one and all in a bond of togetherness and harmony.”
Jung urged citizens to celebrate Holi in its true spirit and help build mutual trust and friendship, cutting across religion, caste, community and creed.
In West Bengal, people celebrated Holi - or Dol Jatra as it is called in the eastern part of the country - amid heightened security.
The Visva Bharati University in Santiniketan, founded by Rabindranath Tagore, burst into colours and joy as people plunged themselves into the spring festival revellery.
At the Santiniketan campus in Birbhum district people danced on the streets to the tunes of Tagore songs that exhorted everyone to mingle in joy.
Resplendent in traditional attires, students and teachers went around the campus singing, urging people through songs to open their doors and usher in the festivities.
A man stands next to an elephant smeared with colours on the occasion of the Holi festival in Guwahati, Assam yesterday.
