With the goal to curb the public display of caste identity, the Bihar Transport Department on Friday directed all the vehicle owners of the state to remove caste-related words, phrases or stickers from their respective vehicles within a stipulated timeframe. 

Authorities said they have set June 2026’s first week as the deadline for voluntary compliance, after which, the violators shall face penalties of as much as Rs 2,000 under the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, 1988. The department officials said that the directive applies to all forms of caste identifiers commonly displayed on vehicles, many of which are “Brahmin,” “Kshatriya,” or “Yadav.”

Move aimed at promoting social harmony

After the grace period, the traffic cops across Bihar shall launch a state-wide enforcement campaign to pull the plug on violations. Officials said that first-time offenders may be levied a fine of Rs 500, while repeat offenders or serious violations could attract penalties of up to Rs 2,000 under Section 179. Besides this, the District Transport Officers (DTOs) have been directed to ensure adherence to the norms within their jurisdictions. 

The Transport Department officials have urged the commuters to comply to avoid legal action, and emphasised that the move is aimed at promoting social harmony, as well as discouraging identity-based displays in public spaces. 

ITMS-laced cameras to monitor vehicles

In a parallel development, Bihar is set to embrace an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), under which, Artificial Intelligence (AI)- powered cameras will be installed at 500 to 700 key intersections and accident-prone zones across major cities.

These include cities like Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Bhagalpur. The cameras will employ real-time video analytics to detect violations like red light jumping, over-speeding, wrong side driving and helmetless riding. 

E-challans to be issued to violators

As many as 1,000 cameras will be installed in the initial phase, and all of them will be connected to a centralised command centre for continuous surveillance. The traffic violators will be issued e-challans, ensuring efficient and swift enforcement.

Additionally, the system will incorporate facial recognition technology, enabling the police personnel to identify repeat offenders and assist law enforcement agencies in tracking people engaged in criminal activities. 42 companies from India and abroad have exhibited interest in the project and are participating in the bidding process.