Bihar’s Transport Department has directed vehicle owners across the state to remove caste-related words and stickers from their vehicles within one month, warning that violators could face fines of up to Rs 2,000 under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The move targets inscriptions such as “Brahmin”, “Kshatriya”, “Yadav” and similar caste identifiers commonly displayed on cars and bikes.
The department has set the first week of June as the deadline for compliance. After the grace period ends, traffic police and transport authorities will begin a special enforcement drive across Bihar to check vehicles carrying caste-based markings.
Also Read | Prime Video and Amazon MX Player merge to create India’s largest streaming platform
According to the reports of NDTV Hindi, violators can be fined under Sections 177 and 179 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Officials said repeated or intentional violations may attract stricter action. The Transport Department has also appealed to vehicle owners to voluntarily remove such stickers and avoid legal trouble.
AI cameras to monitor violations
Alongside the crackdown, Bihar is expanding its Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) with AI-powered cameras set to be installed at 500 to 700 locations across the state. The system will cover major cities including Patna, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga.
Also Read | 'What an inspiration’: Bengaluru couple stuns internet after swimming 32 km from Sri Lanka to India
Officials said the AI-enabled cameras will use real-time video analytics to detect traffic violations such as signal jumping, overspeeding, wrong-side driving and riding without helmets. The system will automatically generate e-challans for offenders.
The Hindi NDTV report also stated that the upgraded system may include facial recognition and surveillance features to identify repeat offenders and assist in monitoring criminal activity. District Transport Officers across Bihar have been instructed to identify additional locations for installing the technology.
The move comes amid broader efforts to tighten enforcement of traffic rules and regulate unauthorised markings on vehicles. A recent NDTV Auto report had also noted that displaying caste-related words on vehicles is considered illegal under existing traffic and registration norms in India.
