Mumbai, the financial capital of India is known for its skyscrapers, diverse population, beaches, fast lifestyle and of course, Bollywood! The total population of the city has risen to 2.71 crore in 2022.

Talking about the number of vehicles in Mumbai and surrounding townships, the number has touched 4 crores, as of January 2022! And with this, the cases of drunken driving have also risen.

To prevent the situation from getting worse, the Traffic Police and the Government of India implemented some strict traffic rules into action for four-wheelers and two-wheelers, especially for drunk driving. One of the amendments introduced in the Motor Vehicles Act 2019 is the revision of fines for drunk driving.

What is the fine for drunk driving in Mumbai?

For the violation of a traffic rule after drunken driving, a fine of Rs.10,000/- or an imprisonment of 6 months or both can be imposed.

Before 1st September 2019, if you were caught driving after intoxication with drugs or alcohol, then you would have been charged with Rs. 2000/- fine or six months jail or both.

These penalties imposed are the same for all kinds of two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and commercial vehicles.

What happens if you violate the rule a second time?

For the second time offence, a fine of Rs. 15,000/- or/and imprisonment of 2 years will be charged from you.

Prior to the amendment of the MV Act, the amount for the offence of violation of drunk driving traffic rule was Rs. 3000/- or imprisonment for 2 years or both.

In Mumbai, youngsters between the age group of 26-35 years are usually more likely to break this rule. These traffic laws are made and implemented for the safety of the people.

How Do the Traffic Police Validate that the Driver is Drunk?

In the case of drunk driving, you can be stopped anytime by the traffic police. You will then have to undertake a Blood Alcohol Content Test with a breathalyzer. If the result of the test displays that the alcohol content exceeds 30 mg per 100 ml, then you will be held guilty.

The traffic situation in Mumbai is getting worse due to an exponential rise in the number of vehicles. It has worsened over the last few years as youngsters tend to drink and drive vehicles. The number of accidents has also risen and to control the whole situation, we need to ensure we’re responsible drivers :)

For instance, it’s always better to take a cab than to drive drunk. Being responsible not only ensures our personal safety and well-being, but also ensures overall safety of the city and its people.