Gurgaon: Technical glitches are delaying enforcement in cases of road rules violations in a city where accidents rose by 9% last year. Nearly 1,900 motorists were booked for drunk driving in June this year but the suspension of driving licences of more than half of them remains pending because of software issues and interdepartmental coordination, an officer said on Thursday.The data was shared during the district road safety committee meeting chaired by additional deputy commissioner Sonu Bhatt. The ADC directed the transport department and sub-divisional magistrates to resolve the issues delaying the suspension process so that action against the offenders could be expedited.The suspension of a driving licence after a motorist is booked for drunk driving is not automatic and involves multiple administrative and technical steps. While the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) — through the Sarathi portal managed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC).According to officers, 1,896 challans for drunk driving were issued by police in June and among them, 1,536 driving licences were forwarded for suspension.Much of the process is delayed because the e-challan system used by police does not seamlessly integrate with the Sarathi database, preventing electronic transfer of records. Errors such as incorrect driving licence numbers, mismatched names or incomplete data can also halt processing. “In many cases, licensing authorities verify each case before issuing suspension orders, creating backlogs when large numbers of challans are received,” said an officer.Some officers said server downtime and administrative hurdles like interdepartmental coordination also play a role in stalling the suspension process.The administration began tightening enforcement against drunk driving in October 2025 by introducing stricter action against offenders. Earlier, traffic police only issued challans. Under the revised protocol, first-time offenders face suspension of their driving licences for three to six months, while repeat offenders are liable for permanent cancellation of their licences, as provided under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.According to police, most drunk driving cases are reported around weekend party hotspots such as Sector 29, Cyber Park, MG Road, Golf Course Road and 32 Avenue. Traffic personnel are routinely deployed in these areas, including Mall Mile, Ambience Mall, Galleria Market and Sector 29 HUDA Market. Officials said the combination of hefty fines and licence suspensions is expected to act as a stronger deterrent than monetary penalties alone.Emphasising the need for strict enforcement during a recent road safety meeting, deputy commissioner Uttam Singh said, “Norms for licence suspension are already in place. These must be implemented rigorously to curb drink and drive cases. All SDMs are monitoring the licence-making procedure in their areas to ensure compliance with safety norms.”Under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, a first-time offender can be fined up to Rs 10,000, sentenced to imprisonment for up to six months, or both. A repeat offence within three years attracts a fine of up to Rs 15,000, imprisonment of up to two years and permanent cancellation of the driving licence.Since the crackdown began in October 2025, RTA has suspended 2,533 driving licences on the recommendation of traffic police for motorists caught driving under the influence of alcohol. Officials said the licences are typically suspended for three months in the case of first-time offenders, while repeat violations can invite permanent cancellation under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. However, no driving licence has been permanently cancelled so far for drunk driving.The road safety meeting also reviewed enforcement against overloaded vehicles. Officials said 220 overloaded vehicles were challaned in June. Between July 1 and July 21, another 184 vehicles were booked and penalties exceeding Rs 1 crore were recovered.Bhatt directed RTA and other departments to continue enforcement drives against overloaded vehicles, highlighting their impact on road safety.The committee also asked for the status of engineering changes made to 21 accident-prone spots, including Bilaspur Chowk, Binola, Panchgaon Chowk, Manesar, Narsingpur, Khandsa, Naharpur, Sector 31, Badshahpur Chowk, Vatika Chowk and Airia Mall.Officials were instructed to expedite measures to install road markings, street lighting, signboards, pedestrian crossings, speed-calming measures and close illegal cuts at the earliest.Pedestrian deaths have also seen a spike over the last year — 198 people died due to road accidents, a 10% rise from 2024. Officials estimate that the district of Gurugram recorded more than 1,118 crashes.
