Blue light to be used only for emergency vehicles
PTI
NEW DELHI
Seeking to end the VIP culture, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday decided that beacon lights will be removed from all vehicles, except emergency vehicles, like ambulances and fire brigade.
The vehicles with beacon lights, which are seen as a symbol of VIP culture, “have no place in a democratic country”, the government said.
“After May 1, no one will be able to put red light atop his/her vehicle. Blue light will be used only for emergency vehicles in the country...Neither the states nor the Centre will have power to give any special permission (for use of beacon lights),” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said after the Cabinet meeting.
He said the use of red beacons atop vehicles has been a matter of discussion and debates for long as to why certain people have special privileges on road.
The matter was under discussion for some time and “the Prime Minister took the decision and informed the Cabinet,” Jaitley said, adding amendments will be made soon in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules to give effect to the decision.
A rule that empowers the Centre or state governments to allow use of red beacon lights to dignitaries will be altogether removed from the statute books, the minister said.
“There will be no exception for anyone. The reason is very clear that the rule itself is being removed from the rule book,” he added.
Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari was the first Union Minister who took the red beacon off his official vehicle immediately after the Cabinet meeting.
Gadkari said “this government is a government of masses and has decided to abolish VIP culture of beacon lights and sirens”.
The decision, he said, was taken to strengthen “healthy democratic values” in the country.
“Beacons on vehicles are perceived symbols of VIP culture and have no place in a democratic country. They have no relevance whatsoever,” Gadkari reasoned.
Beacons, however, will be allowed on vehicles concerning emergency and relief services, ambulance, fire service etc.
In Goa, Parrikar first to dismantle red beacon; others to follow soon
PANAJI: Several state government ministers fell over each other in a bid to announce that they will be no longer using red beacons on their official vehicles.
While Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s car was seen without the beacon on late Wednesday night Tourism Minister Manohar “Babu” Azgaonkar was the first to officially announce that he would not longer need the red beacon.
While the central government’s decision does not strictly apply to the state government, the ministers were quick to follow suit. Goa Forward announced that all its three ministers would not longer use the beacon.
