For a fee, pubs hire cabs if patrons are drunk

Hyderabad: In order to discourage drunk driving, some pubs and restaurants in the city offer cabs to ensure that drunk customers reach home safely. With the problem of drunk driving being rampant in the city, the Hyderabad Traffic Police have heightened their efforts to prosecute drunk drivers and prevent drunk driving. They have directed all the pubs and restaurants to make drivers available to drop drunk customers home. Pub and restaurant owners seem to be cooperating with the police.

Mr K. Navjoth, head of corporate social responsibility of the MSR Foundation, said, “Customers who have exceeded the alcohol limit will be assigned an employee of the pub to book a cab. We have spread the word at various pubs and bars and asked them to inform customers about this facility.” He said that the initiative had been taken up by the group in collaboration with the excise and prohibition wing. A pub-owner said the cabs were booked for a nominal fee of Rs 100.