In an interesting move, Mission Smart Ride, the programme to curb drunken driving in Telangana, is being taken up by more bars, which will ensure responsible service to customers.
A brainchild of Nanda Sandilya, who has 20 years experience as a software architect and currently works with an insurance firm, the programme has been recommended to be passed as an Act, which will make it mandatory for all bars in the state to ensure that customers reach home safe.
According to the proposal, every bar should have a designated driver service, according to which a driver is assigned to drop the customers in their own car or a person in a group be tagged ‘VIP’ to whom no drinks will be served, but a free non-alcoholic drink and food will be offered.
Nanda recalls what prompted him to come up with the idea: “One night in 2007, my friend and I went out for dinner and drinks. On return, my friend got charged for drunken driving; he had no idea that he had drank more than the permissible limit. We had to go through a lot of legal processes that took up much of our time. The person who served us drinks knew about the rule and should have offered us a cab. This got me thinking and I started a bar to experiment and understand ‘responsible service’, which is mandatory in the US,” he says.
He then shared the idea with IT minister K. T. Rama Rao, who was the chief guest at the Telangana Development Forum meeting in New Jersey.
“He asked me about my ideas to improve the conditions of my home town and that’s when I pitched this idea with some reports. He told me that it would be in force in three months. Such a quick response from him was very encouraging,” he says.
The programme was launched in January and has been gaining momentum recently. Of the 592 bars signed up for the programme, only 120 bars have been practising it religiously.
“After the recent accident of Ramya and family, many citizens and bar owners showed interest in the programme, but there are no methods to check its implementation. That is why I sought an Act,” he explains.
Nanda also gives credit to his supportive family. “My wife and my 9-year-old son are with me. My son wants to be a professional basketball player and he shoots excellently from any point on the court,” says the former Ranji Trophy cricket player, who is a close friend of V.V.S Laxman.
