Bhubaneswar, March 3: The beat patrolling that was supposed to start by the end of January has not materialised till date because of shortage of adequate powerful-motorcycles and police personnel.

Residents allege they have been living under threat from goons, who snatch chains on the streets, burgle houses and pass lewd comments at women in different parts of the city.

“We do not see policemen patrolling in our area. Moreover, police patrolling vans reach late whenever we complain,” said Smita Padhee, a resident of Soubhagya Nagar.

But deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Nitinjeet Singh said beat patrolling had already started in the city with the available personnel and motorbikes.

“We started the project last month. Our personnel have been patrolling in busy areas and around jewellery shops in the city. But we have not been able to make it round-the-clock because of these constraints,” said Singh, adding that people in Saheed Nagar area had already expressed their satisfaction over this new service.

The city police had planned to constitute an auxiliary force that would patrol across the city to prevent crimes such as chain snatching, burglary and eve teasing. Accordingly, they had planned to divide the city into 96 beats where this force would patrol.

Police commissioner Sunil Roy had said during the annual crime meeting on January 8 that beat patrolling would start in the city to check the growing crime rate.

In 2012, there was an increase in the number of crimes under all heads. Property-related crimes such as robbery, burglary and theft witnessed a rise last year in the city. This had forced the city police to go for beat patrolling.

Around 420 police personnel had been recruited by the end of January, but the shortage of vehicles had forced the authorities to skip the programme. The officials said they needed at least one motorcycle for each beat.

Already 30-odd bikes have been procured for this purpose and the city police are short of around 60 two-wheelers. These motorcycles can run at high speed to chase down chain snatchers and other goons who manage to flee from the crime spot with these speed-bikes.

The city police had conducted a trial run in November and December last year, which yielded good results.

The DCP said that half of their recruited personnel had gone for training. “After they are back, we will start full-fledged patrolling and make it round-the-clock. We will deploy the bikes of these personnel and provide them the required allowances,” said Singh.

There will be six beats under each police station and at least four constables will be deployed in every beat.

The auxiliary wing of the city police will also patrol in these beats. Apart from the routine patrolling by the police control room (PCR) vans, the beat police personnel will take up patrolling on motorbikes and on foot.

The beat patrolling personnel will move around unoccupied houses, buildings from where occupants are temporarily away and around banks and jewellery shops. “If they spot anything suspicious they will inquire there and inform the control room or police station,” said an officer.