Traffic Management Set to Improve in 4 Major Bihar Cities; Bhagalpur Among Districts to Get More Traffic Personnel

Traffic Management Set to Improve in 4 Major Bihar Cities; Bhagalpur Among Districts to Get More Traffic Personnel

In a major move to tackle mounting vehicular pressure and chronic traffic congestion in Bihar's prominent smart cities, the state government has approved a significant increase in the strength of traffic police personnel. Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Gaya, and Biharsharif (Nalanda) will see a combined deployment of 2,091 traffic police personnel, aligned with the standards of the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D).

485 New Posts Created; Annual Expenditure to Exceed ₹31 Crore

Following approval from the Finance Department, 485 new traffic police posts have been created across these four cities, while the remaining 1,606 positions will be accommodated through internal readjustments of the existing police force. This upgrade will incur an annual expenditure of approximately ₹31.85 crore for the Bihar government.

Bhagalpur's Traffic Grid to be Managed by 269 Personnel

Traffic management in the smart city of Bhagalpur is set to become substantially more robust:

The New Setup: Bhagalpur previously had 206 sanctioned posts, but fewer than 150 personnel were actually deployed on the ground, leading to frequent gridlocks.

Enhanced Strength: With the addition of newly sanctioned posts (including 4 Inspectors, 10 ASIs, and 49 Constables designated for Bhagalpur), a total of 269 police personnel will now be deployed to streamline the city's traffic.

Why the Additional Manpower Was Needed

According to Police Headquarters, following Patna, the cities of Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, and Biharsharif have witnessed an unprecedented surge in urban population and vehicle ownership after being designated as Smart Cities. Similarly, Gaya—a prominent religious hub—experiences a heavy influx of domestic and international tourists, making traffic regulation an uphill task for the existing, short-staffed team.

To address this, the consolidated strength across these four cities will now comprise:

Apart from Traffic DSPs: 26 Inspectors, 73 Sub-Inspectors (SI), 77 Assistant Sub-Inspectors (ASI), 381 Head Constables, and 1,533 Constables.

Strict Age Caps Enforced to Ensure an Agile Force

To ensure efficient on-field enforcement, the government has implemented strict maximum age limits for personnel deployed to the traffic wing, prioritizing physical fitness and agility:

Constables & Driver Constables: Maximum age of 35 years

Sub-Inspectors (SI): Maximum age of 40 years

Inspectors: Maximum age of 50 years

ASIs and Head Constables: Maximum age of 55 years

 This decision by the Home Department is expected to bring immense relief to commuters in Bhagalpur and the other three major cities from daily traffic snarls, ensuring a much more visible and effective police presence on the roads.