The new motorcycles, 250 of them, will be exclusively used for patrolling accident-prone areas and for chasing and challaning traffic offenders. The motorcycles will be allotted to selected corridors and will patrol those areas alone. "They will not be diverted for controlling any other law and order situation or VIP movement," a senior traffic police officer said.

Unlike other traffic vehicles, these have to be on the move round-the-clock. A constable and a head constable will use a motorcycle and will be given the power to issue challans. The traffic police are yet to decide the routes these motorcycles will cover. These motorcycles, fitted with communication equipment, will supplement the existing 493 PCR vans.

The traffic police find themselves stretched a bit too much under the present system. Delhi is divided into zones with a zonal officer of sub-inspector rank as in-charge of each area. A zone is usually as big as a police station area. The zonal officer and the staff under him are responsible for the traffic situation in the area. The zonal officer is allotted a motorcycle to patrol the area but he also has to attend to VIP routes and other administrative obligations.

"The new motorcycles will increase the visibility of the traffic police by a great extent and will act as a deterrent for traffic offenders," the officer said. The traffic police also believe that with these motorcycles will increase the amount of challan collected. A record of sorts was set last year through the collection of Rs 98 crore as challan. Expectations are this figure will be crossed in 2008.