Ministers defy blanket ban on red beacon; use hooters, siren

Ambulances and vehicles of the fire service, police, and army will be exempted to use blue flashing beacons to sail through traffic.

The decision to ban use of red beacon atop vehicles has come into effect from May 1, but ministers across the country are in search of alternative routes to continue the 'VIP culture'.

In Karnataka, Health Minister UT Khader was seen using the status symbols even after the blanket ban. Khader justified the use of beacon saying 'Flag and beacons are put by DPR [ Department of Public Relation]. I can sit and go in that, I can't alter anything.'

According to reports, politicians in Madhya Pradesh and Telangana are replacing the red beacons with sirens.

In Maharashtra, Minister of State for Home Deepak Kesarkar has written to the state DGP to look for other options, which do not violate the new rules. While some politicians followed CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's footsteps and removed the red beacons, others planted hooters as a new VIP symbol In Madhya Pradesh.

The ban on red beacon doesn't spare even vehicles of the country's top dignitaries such as the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India. However, ambulances and vehicles of the fire service, police, and army will be exempted to use blue flashing beacons to sail through traffic.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued notification regarding exemption to the use of coloured beacons: http://morth.nic.in/showfile.asp?lid=2712

Nitin Gadkari, Road Transport and Highways Minister, became the first minister to remove the red beacon light from his official vehicle soon after the Modi government banned the 'lal batti'.

OneIndia News