what’s in the offing

A chock-a-block Mahatma Gandhi Setu and (below) what police want it to look like. Pictures by Sachin

CCTV cameras that can record vehicle registration numbers to be installed on both ends of Gandhi Setu

Police to video-record traffic violation

Heavy penalty to be imposed on buses found standing at the entrance of Gandhi Setu to pick up passengers. Licence to ply can also be cancelled

Illegal bus stops on the bridge to be demolished

Around 200 policemen to be deputed on Patna and Vaishali sides

Patna and Vaishali district administrations have to ensure proper co-ordination for smoother traffic

lMore cranes would be deployed on both ends to tow away vehicles stranded because of snags

Police and the district authorities of Patna and Vaishali met on Thursday to put an end to the miseries of hundreds who take the Mahatma Gandhi Setu route almost everyday.

The police were upbeat about the things that were sketched to make the busy Setu snarl-free.

S.M. Khopde, the inspector-general (Patna zone), said: “Soon after Muharram, additional forces will be deployed at the bridge. We would not tolerate any kind of traffic rule violations.”

He added that on the Gandhi Setu, where maintenance work is slowing down the traffic nowadays, there are specific points that have been turned into bus stops.

“This has been found at the starting points of the bridge on the Patna as well as on the Vaishali sides. The buses stop anywhere they feel like and they add to the traffic problem. In the meeting we have decided that no buses will be allowed to halt on the entire stretch of the bridge. Those found halting to pick up passengers would face the heat. Their licences would be cancelled if they are caught doing it,” the senior officer said.

So after Muharram, can commuters expect a vigilant Setu and a smoother traffic flow?

“Around 200 policemen will be deployed on the bridge to take care of the traffic problem. Yes, they would be deployed soon after Muharram,” Khopde said.

At present, 25 constables, two inspectors, three sub-inspectors, two assistant sub-inspectors, and one deputy superintendent of police-rank officer keep a vigil on the Patna end of the bridge. Around 30 policemen guard the Vaishali side of the bridge. “This number would go up. Forces will be provided to the Vaishali police since they have asked for more men,” a police officer said.

Apart from the men-in-uniform, there are plans to install closed circuit television (CCTVs) cameras on the bridge.

“The Patna police would install around 74 CCTV cameras at strategic points of Patna. Of them, at least 30 are automatic number plate reader CCTV cameras, which will be installed at all the exit points of Patna. These cameras will also be installed on the Gandhi Setu so that we can record the registration number plates of vehicles breaking traffic rules.”

“There will be cameras at the entry and exit points of the bridge and also at other points of the Setu. Officers of Patna and Vaishali police stations have been asked to video-graph the activities on the bridge. Overtaking is banned on the bridge. A minimum fine of Rs 1,000 will be levied on those not adhering to the norms,” the officer said.

Sources said the CCTV cameras would be installed by December 7.

The outcome of the meeting on the 5.575-km bridge, however, failed to convince the commuters that something good was in the offing.

They felt that the government lacked determination and was not concerned to put an end to the commuting problems of the people.

“I was stuck on the bridge for three hours on my way to Vaishali on November 6. Every time there is a traffic muddle, the administration comes in and announces big plans. But such plans fizzle out in no time. The maintenance work on the Gandhi Setu is going on for almost a year now. The work is going on at snail’s pace. The state government is genuinely not concerned to make Patna a happy place for commuters,” said Prakash Kumar Singh, a businessman.