Patna: The roads of Patna remain unruly despite round-the-clock digital surveillance, with traffic fines surging past Rs 125 crore in just 28 months, official data has revealed.
Figures from the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) of Patna Smart City show that 12.58 lakh motorists have been fined since May 2023 for flouting 32 categories of rules, most commonly overspeeding.
More than 10 lakh drivers have been caught for excessive speed, incurring penalties totalling Rs 101 crore. Authorities warn that reckless driving is also fuelling the city’s high rate of road accidents.
“Nearly 1,995 CCTV cameras are monitoring the city 24 hours a day,” said Priya Saurabh, public relations officer of Patna Smart City. “Awareness drives have been carried out, yet many drivers show little regard for the rules.”
Triple riding accounted for the second-largest category of fines, with 1.19 lakh riders paying Rs 13.33 crore. Mobile phone use behind the wheel was the third-most frequent violation, drawing penalties of Rs 3.8 crore from 37,000 offenders.
In stark contrast, helmetless riding was recorded at negligible levels — just 14 cases, with fines totalling Rs 36,000.
Officials say the ICCC’s smart monitoring system has tightened enforcement but acknowledge that compliance will require a cultural shift among drivers as much as punitive measures.
