A traffic signal in Patna

Patna, June 22: Traffic signals in the city might not have blinked for quite sometime but the police department is receiving their electricity bills.

Sources said Patna-based Adam Media Recreation Private Limited — that was given the contract in 2006 to maintain traffic signals across the city — has been regular in sending electricity bills to the police department. Seven bills have arrived at the office of Patna senior superintendent of police between September 2010 and March 2011. The police cleared all of them though none of the traffic signals worked since 2005.

The police have now woken up to this irregularity. Patna superintendent of police (city) Shivdeep Lande has asked the company for a detailed explanation, failing which an FIR would be lodged against it. Lande has also sent a letter to Patna Electricity Supply Undertaking (Pesu) to inquire about the matter.

Lande said: “According to the seven-year contract with Adam Media Recreation Private Limited, they are responsible for paying the power charges for the traffic signals. They are also responsible for the maintenance of the poles. However, a similar contract was signed with Calcutta-based Webel Mediatronics in 2005. Why were two different companies given two contracts for the same job?”

He added that the power bills were irregular and had been paid for traffic signals that do not work at all.

In March this year, the police department got four bills for signals at IPS More, Lalit Bhavan Crossing, Hartali More and Income Tax Crossing amounting to Rs 3,305, Rs 1,637, Rs 1,518 and Rs 2,009, respectively.

“In September 2010, we got a bill of Rs 1,182 for a signal located at the Shivpuri More. There are no bills for the other signals in the same month,” said the SP.

Lande said: “In January 2011, we got a bill of Rs 1,162 for a traffic signal at south Gandhi Maidan. There is no traffic signal there. In February this year, we got a bill of Rs 1,357 for a signal at Raiding Road. There is no such place in the state capital.”

Lande added: “All these bills have been paid by the police. This is a total violation of the contract. First, the company was supposed to pay the electricity bills. Second, when the signals have not worked for years, how the company is producing the bills for them to the police?”

He added that the case was being investigated.

“The company has been asked to give an explanation. If they fail to provide an answer, an FIR will be lodged. Also, Pesu was asked to answer to our query within three days. The letter was sent on June 3. But they still have not answered,” Lande said.