Goa Govt asks bar owners to drop inebriated tourists at their hotel rooms to check accidents

The transport minister had announced something on the same lines last year, though it was never executed in the state. However, the state police have recently intensified checks during the night and have started fining those involved in drunk driving offenses.

Panaji (Goa): State Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Monday said that their government will make it mandatory for bar and restaurant owners to arrange cabs for their 'inebriated customers' to drop them home or at their hotels in case of tourists. Speaking during the 'Road Safety Week', Godinho said that the move is part of an attempt to curb accidents due to drunk driving in the coastal state.

This is not the first time that Godinho made such an announcement. The transport minister had announced something on the same lines last year, though it was never executed in the state. However, the state police have recently intensified checks during the night and have started fining those involved in drunk driving offenses. The minister explained that if any of their customers are drunk, the bar owners should not allow them to leave in their own vehicles.

"They can take their vehicles the next day," the minister further clarified. "I am telling officers to liaise with bars and restaurants with heavy footfall, where many people go. If somebody is drunk, it is the responsibility of the bar owner to send them home by hiring a cab. Don't allow them to go driving their own car. This is a new norm in Goa for the safety of people. We will implement it very strictly," he said.

Godinho further said that everyone has to follow rules just like they do in foreign countries. "Goans, when they go abroad, don't they follow rules? Goa is a place where breaking rules is easy. Because everybody knows somebody and is well connected since it only has 15 lakh population. But these are bad practices and we want to discontinue them," Godinho said.

"Now henceforth those who break rules will be fined," the Minister said. "I am really concerned with the drunk and drive cases. The cases of accidents are alarming. Around 20 percent of cases coming to Goa Medical College are related to accidents. You may be driving with all safety measures on the road, but one fine day a drunk person can come and hit you. This should not happen. I am therefore telling Regional Transport Officers (RTO) that you have to be ruthless as far as drunk and drive cases are concerned," he added.