Uber has partnered Mumbai Traffic Police to install Uber Breathalysers at pubs and nightclubs around the city. The idea is to make it easy to book a cab home and not drive after drinking.
In a bid to clamp down on drink-and-drive cases, Uber has partnered the Mumbai Traffic Police for a new initiative. The cab aggregator will be installing ‘Uber Breathalysers’ outside select pubs and nightclubs in Mumbai. One will be able check the alcohol content in their blood, and if its above the prescribed limit, book an Uber home.
These breathalysers look similar to a public phone and will be attached to a pole. One can insert a straw in the slot that says ‘Insert Straw here’. Once you puff into the straw, the machine will calculate the alcohol content in your blood and notify you about it. A green light means it is safe to drive home, while a red light means the alcohol content is above the limit. In such a scenario, the machine will prompt you to book an Uber back home.
“We’re excited to launch the first Breathalyser in partnership with the Mumbai Traffic Police. Through this campaign, we aim to build awareness against drunk-driving and give people a convenient and reliable ride back home,” Shailesh Sawlani, GM, Uber Mumbai said.
These breathalysers are also called ‘Alco Booth’, and are manufactured by a private firm called Subtronics India Pvt. Ltd. The Alco Booth was launched by Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis earlier this year as a part of Road Safety Week 2016.
Subtronics is manufacturing Alco Booths with support from the state government. Each Alco Booth is priced between Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000, which will be borne by pub owners. The first Uber Breathalyser has been set up outside Nook in Phoenix Marketcity Kurla. “We hope to work with the Mumbai Traffic Police to install these devices across all bars and pubs in the city,” Sawlani adds.
Mumbai’s Traffic Police has been campaigning hard to eradicate drink-and-drive cases. Despite various campaigns, as many as 705 drunk drivers are said to have been caught on New Year’s eve.
Source: bgr.in
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