The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division (MTPD) booked nearly 1,500 people for traffic rule violations in Kathmandu Valley on the Christmas Eve on Sunday.

According to the MTPD, the number of traffic rule violators doubled on the day compared to Saturday when only 816 vehicle owners were booked for traffic rule violations in different parts of the Valley.

Interestingly, the Christmas Eve has seen a surge in the number of drink and drive as 245 drivers were found driving under the influence of alcohol, according to Deputy Superintendent at MTPD Mukunda Marasini.

“We have been carrying out regular checks on drink and drive. However, the number surprisingly shot up by two fold on Sunday,” said Marasini, attributing the sharp rise to the celebratory mood on the Christmas Eve.

Besides drink and drive, other kinds of traffic rule breaches were also relatively higher on Sunday, the MTPD said, with 144 being fined for the lane violation, no parking (136), taxi drivers declining to go on metre (51).

The MTPD had mobilised a total of 900 traffic police personnel across the Valley on that day in a bid to regulate traffic congestion and enforce the traffic rules, according to Marasini. “We were concerned about possible accidents and activities in violation of traffic rules. So we had mobilised a special team targeting for the day,” he added.

Still, there were nine reported cases of road accidents in the Valley on that day. However, there was no casualty, said the MTPD.

The ban on drink driving campaign, popularly known as Mapase, has been a hugely successful since the drive was introduced in September 3, 2011. The traffic police has since penalised 254,737 people for drunk driving.