Bihar plans to set up 28 traffic police stations

In 2022, the then inspector general (IG), traffic, M R Nayak, had sent a proposal to set up traffic police stations in 23 towns that have a population of over 2 lakh, besides five small towns.

A proposal to set up 28 dedicated traffic police stations across Bihar, in addition to the existing 12, has been approved by the home department and will now be sent to the state cabinet for its final approval, a senior police officer said on Friday.

At present, traffic outposts only direct vehicular movement on streets and penalise traffic offenders. (HT Photo)

In 2022, the then inspector general (IG), traffic, M R Nayak, had sent a proposal to set up traffic police stations in 23 towns that have a population of over 2 lakh, besides five small towns.

“The proposal to establish 28 new traffic police stations has been approved by the chief secretary,” additional director general (ADG) of police (headquarters) Jitendra Singh Gangwar said on Friday.

Currently, traffic police stations are operational in 12 districts — Patna, Bhagalpur, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Nalanda, Purnia, Saran, Darbhanga, Ara, Begusarai, Katihar and Munger.

At present, traffic outposts only direct vehicular movement on streets and penalise traffic offenders. The move to set up dedicated traffic police stations is in line with a Supreme Court directive, which had asked states to develop infrastructure and manpower to manage traffic in view of the increase in road accidents.

Bihar’s home department, in a recent letter to the accountant general, has sought to create 4,215 posts for these 28 police stations, each of which will be headed by a deputy superintendent of police and will have an inspector, a sub-inspector, besides police constables.

The total strength of police personnel deployed in a traffic police station in big towns will be 126 each while 84 will be deployed in stations in small towns.