Drunk driving poses threat to night food vendors
Source: Chronicle News Service / Premchand Thongam

Imphal, July 03 2025: On the night of June 30, a car rammed into a busy road side food stall near Imo Filling Oil Pump at Yumnam Leikai - injuring many people-highlighting the vulnerability of roadside vendors and the need to tackle drink driving, a problem exacerbated by inconsistent enforcement.

Over the last few years, many road side food vendors have sprung up in various places, serving as a source of livelihood for many people.

However, people could lose their lives during the process.

In this regard, the police need to pay more attention to the matter.

In mid-September 2024, personnel of Manipur Police and Traffic Control Police Wing began using breathalyser to crack down on potential drunk drivers, during drives held in front of Western Gate of Kangla.

The breathalyser checks the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and if a person's BAC level is high, they are liable to pay a fine or other legal punishment.

However, for reasons unknown, the state police stopped crack down on drunk driving.

Meanwhile, despite the law enforcing agencies and the people being aware of the illegalities, it has been difficult to enforce the rules due to the temporary nature of the situations.

For a period of time, two-wheel riders wore helmets without fail when a drive against traffic rule violations was carried out.

Riders who wore helmets to avoid paying the fines stopped wearing the same after the drive ceased.

Similarly, in the past few months, a drive against tinted films was carried out and then halted, allowing drivers to use the tinted films again.

However, there is an urgent need to resume the drive against drunk driving especially at night time or else, many human lives could be lost.

On January 31, an interactive programme on road safety and traffic awareness was held at Institute of Cooperative Management (ICM).

During the programme, Traffic Control Police Wing SP Pramesh Arambam announced that anyone caught drunk driving would have to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 .

As per the Motor Vehicle Act, anyone caught drunk driving would have to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 or serve a jail sentence of six months.

Any repeated offence would invite a fine of Rs 15,000 or a two-year jail term.

However, until and unless some people are made to understand through examples the consequence of breaking the law as per the provision of this Act, other people would continue with these acts.

The innocent would suffer the consequences of actions which are not their fault, as is being witnessed recently.

The Manipur Police may not face shortage of man power in this regard, if the personnel are put on roster and deployed at strategic locations to crackdown on drunk driving especially at night.

This will, in turn, help prevent unwanted incidents.

On the other hand, due to the prevailing conflict, many IDPs are seeking refuge at various places of the valley.

As such, many of the roadside food vendors happen to be IDPs, working hard to feed and care for their families.

However, they are not safe from risks.

Thus, the state authority needs to regulate the Act and prevent any unwanted accidents from happening.

Meanwhile, under The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2013, the rights of street vendors are protected and the activities regulated.

Street vendors need to obtain vending certificates from urban local bodies, in the case of Imphal from Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC).

However, it is unlikely that the majority of the street vendors in the state are in possession of the vending certificates.

In addition, the street vendors are to sell their wares only in designated zones.

No one is allowed to set up shop in any random location even if the location is right in front of one's own home.

The state authority, needs to better regulate roadside vending, balancing the need for livelihoods with the safety of both vendors and the public.

While ensuring strict adherence to the guidelines of the Street Vendors Act may be challenging, a collaborative approach between law enforcement and the public could help prevent any unwanted mishaps in future.

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