New Delhi, March 9: The Delhi traffic police issued more than 8,550 challans for violation of traffic rules during Shab-e-Barat and Holi this year, according to the official data. Many of those challaned included people who rode motorcycles without helmets and some were also fined for drunk driving.

Ahead of the festivals, the Delhi Police had asked its officials to put a tight leash on stunt bikers during Shab-e-Barat and Holika Dahan. It had cited past events when young men visited India Gate, Connaught Place and other areas in New Delhi district and performed dangerous stunts on two-wheelers and even on three- and four-wheelers. Delhi: Traffic Cops on Drink-Drive Check Pushed Away by Fleeing Driver in Connaught Place (Watch Video).

The traffic police claimed that presence of policemen at strategic locations and strict enforcement of laws resulted in reduced fatal accidents on Holi as only five such incidents were reported from the city this year, compared to nine in 2022.

The police said Thursday special teams consisting of 759 traffic police officials were stationed across the city to act against drunken driving, over speeding, reckless driving and stunt biking.

According to the official data, on Shab-e-Barat, the traffic police issued a total of 908 challans, which included 70 challans for drunken driving, 109 for triple riding on two-wheelers, 438 for riding without helmet, 22 for driving without seat belt, 42 for tinted glass and 227 challans for other traffic-related violations. Delhi Traffic Update: Police Issue Advisory As Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra Resumes in National Capital From Today; Check Details Here.

On Holi, 7,643 challans were issued. They included 559 for drunken driving, 698 for triple riding on two-wheelers, 3,410 for riding two-wheelers without helmet, 312 for driving without seat belts, 215 for tinted glass and 2,449 for other traffic-related violations, the data showed. The police also said that the tight vigil by them resulted in fewer road accidents on Holi this year.

"On the other hand, the average number of simple accidents per day in year 2022 was 11 and on the day of Holi it was 17, while on the day of Holi in year 2023, it has been reduced to 7 only which clearly shows a reduction of 58 per cent," the police said.

"Similarly in case of total accidents, there has been a reduction of 20 per cent (from 15 to 12 per day), while reduction of 43 per cent (from 14 to 8 per day) in case of persons injured," the police added.