A biker on Bailey Road. Picture by Jai Prakash

The anti-rash driving cell of police is set to hit streets in a new avatar, almost nine months after the city police announced its revival.

Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manu Maharaj told The Telegraph the cell, rechristened Anti-Race Driving Cell, would be operational by next week.

“The cell, having around 30 police officers, is expected to start functioning by next week. A plan has been chalked out to tame the bikers who drive dangerously on roads,” he said, adding that the cell would be split into three to four teams and would be deployed on different streets.

Sources said a large number of bikers indulge in speeding. The police had earlier said most of them were a part of an organised gang involved in betting over racing.

“It is a fact that most of the bikers race for money. Hence, the cell would now be called Anti-Race Driving Cell,” another officer told The Telegraph.

The favourite stretches of speeding bikers include Airport Road and Bailey Road. The members of the cell would man them in civil dress.

A new strategy has been chalked to tame the speedsters. The cops of the cell would not chase and intercept them. Instead, the members of a team of Anti-Race Driving Cell would take position at different places of a road they are manning.

“As soon as a biker is spotted speeding, the cops would alert each other stationed on the stretch. Most of the roads in Patna have manual signals. Once the errant biker stops, he would be nabbed. The chasing business would be done away with,” the officer said.

Last year, deputy superintendent of police (Sachivalaya) Manish Kumar’s vehicle met with an accident when the officer was chasing a group of rash bikers. The officer sustained minor injuries in the accident.

Taking a cue from it, the city police force has forged the new strategy to do away with the practice of chasing speedsters — often a risky affair.

The anti-rash driving cell was first constituted in December 2010 when B.S. Meena was the Patna SSP and Manu Maharaj was the Patna city SP.