A police personnel collects a fine from an errant motorist in Patna. Telegraph picture

Patna, Aug. 10: Police in the state capital have lost the right to slap fines on bikers without helmets, thanks to the alleged delay in granting the powers for the same by the transport department.

As a result, 114 policemen in Patna have lost their right to collect fines from erring motorists.

“It is the transport department that gives financial powers to the policemen and the same lasts for six months. After that time, the same is renewed by the department once again. The traffic fines collected by the police go to the transport department and the police do not get a share of it,” a police officewr told The Telegraph.

He added: “Between January and November last year, the police collected a fine of Rs 1.8 crore. But the traffic police here do not have its individual budget nor does it get a profit from the transport department.”

At present, only 12 police officers, including the traffic superintendent of police (SP), three traffic deputy superintendents of police (DSP), three highway DSPs and five highway inspectors can impose and collect traffic fines from the vehicles, police sources told The Telegraph.

After the financial powers of the station house officers (SHOs), the DSPs of the town areas and the traffic sergeants came to an end, on July 17 the same rights of traffic sub-inspectors, assistant sub-inspectors (ASIs) and probationary sub-inspectors (PSIs) of the police stations were also chucked out.

One saving grace in the present state of affairs is that on June 16 this year the transport department gave financial powers to three highway DSPs and five highway inspectors for a period of six months.

“Recently three officers from the CID were posted as Highway DSPs in addition to the five highway inspectors. They are supposed to constantly patrol the highways of Patna like the NH-30 and check out for the erring heavy vehicles. The same men are present at the Mahatma Gandhi Setu area also,” the police officer said, adding that these cops could only function on the highways and not in the town areas.

With no specific reasons as to why the transport department was not renewing the right to fine, an SP ranked officer told The Telegraph that reminders about the same have been sent to the department. “At least three reminders have been sent to the department and the police are waiting for a reply,” the senior officer said. “Earlier this year, a system started under which motorists who were fined could come to the spot and pay the fines. Now, with our financial powers gone, we cannot even receive fines. This is a problem even for the motorists,” the officer said, adding that some police officers might still be collecting fines, but that is illegal. Police sources said the overall fine collection has gone down considerably.

“Though the figures have not come in till late, it has gone down for sure. Two months ago the traffic police collected a fine of around Rs 25 lakh. But the amount will be very dismal now,” another police officer said.

Rahul Singh, the transport commissioner was busy in a meeting and he refused to respond to any questions.