Bhubaneswar: Alarmed by the drop in footfall since April when authorities started enforcing stricter measures against drunk driving, owners of bars and pubs are devising new ways to bring back patrons while ensuring their safety.
“We have hired 12 drivers, who would drop clients at their homes. Guests, who come from outside Bhubaneswar, are being requested to stay in a nearby hotel instead of driving back home,” Punya Prakash Parida, a city-based bar owner, said.

Anurag Ghosh, another bar owner, said his clients are being sensitised not to drive home after consuming alcohol.“Before serving them their drinks, we are raising awareness among guests about the police checking and request them to avail taxi services or take the help of our own drivers who have been kept on standby,” Ghosh added.
As per the amended Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, law enforcement officers are required to arrest individuals found driving under the influence of alcohol and confiscate their vehicles on the spot.
Many have stopped going to bars completely. “I had to undergo a breathalyser test, spend the whole night in a police station and arrange for an alternative mode of transport after my vehicle was seized. My driving licence was suspended for three months and I had to go to court several times to get the seized vehicle released after paying Rs 10,000. The harassment is nightmarish. I have stopped going to bars,” a banker said.
Despite the innovative measures to bring back customers, some establishments are feeling the pinch as revenue has gone down by 40% on weekends.
“We used to see a jam-packed crowd of at least 200 or 300 on weekends. These days, the number of customers has gone down by half. This has adversely impacted our sale ,” said Jyoti Ranjan Mishra, a bar owner.
“Drink driving is a menace. Our only objective is to make our roads safer and we have succeeded in arresting a few criminals,” commissioner of police Sanjeeb Panda said.

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