Alarmed at the Delhi radio cab rape incident, police in Patna have decided to collect details of all autorickshaws - one of the major modes of public transport in the city.

House officers of all police stations have been directed to provide the details of autorickshaws plying under their jurisdiction within 24 hours. 'The earlier plans of providing unique code to autorickshaws after verifying the credentials failed to deliver the desired results. The SHOs would have to send the list of autorickshaws with genuine codes. The police will have to check them carefully and the system, if necessary, will be relaunched and monitored,' city superintendent of police Shivdeep Lande said on Wednesday.

Sources said several SHOs were asked about the number of coded autorickshaws in their jurisdiction. 'The SHOs had little or no idea about it. They could not provide a concrete answer, which is indeed a worrying factor. This has resulted in the city police headquarters asking them for a proper list. Though codes are found on several autorickshaws but we are also sceptic about their veracity,' an officer, requesting anonymity, said.

Months after an Uttar Pradesh girl was gang-raped by three autorickshaw drivers in December 2010, an initiative was taken to safeguard women taking public transport.

'The plan included the unique code in autorickshaws, police booth monitoring movements of the vehicles and helping passengers at Patna Junction from 6pm to 6am. Both went on for a while and were ignored after sometime. The cops woke up in 2012 after the December 16 gang rape in Delhi. Amrit Raj, who was senior superintendent of police then, had added a few things directing that all city buses and autorickshaws should be lit up inside when they are plying after sunset so that the passengers are visible. The officer had also added that no loud music of any kind should be played by drivers while they are carrying passengers. Again, the police started checks but soon it lost steam. Now, it can be said to be a wake-up call again after the Delhi incident,' the officer said.

Earlier this year, the police had caught an autorickshaw driver who was returning after murdering and then dumping a body. 'Investigations revealed that the police code on the autorickshaw was fake. We suspect that there could be more autorickshaws like this with fake codes,' another police officer said.