Zee Media Bureau/Ritesh K Srivstava
New Delhi: A day after the Supreme Court made its observation on the blatant misuse of red beacons, the government has decided to revise the list of people entitled to travel in vehicles installed with red lights.
Principal Secretary of State Transport Department, RK Mahajan, on Wednesday, said, “Within a specified timeframe, the department would revise and furnish the list of constitutional functionaries entitled for such lights on their official vehicles.”
"No private vehicle is entitled for the installation of red beacon lights. The state transport department will take uncompromising action against the offenders as per the law," Mahajan said.
The beacon should be hidden with a black covering if the dignitary entitled is not travelling in the vehicle, Mahajan further added.
The remarks from Mahajan came a day after the apex court ordered that red beacons be provided only to vehicles carrying people holding constitutional post and high dignitaries.
The apex court in its order also said that state governments cannot enlarge list of VIPs to be given red beacon on their vehicles.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister was among those welcomed the SC order.
The court said that both the central and state governments will within three months issue a pruned list of constitutional functionaries entitled for red beacon lights on official vehicles.
The court added that any violations of its direction would attract exemplary penalty.
The court ordered that the police will implement the provisions of Motor Vehicle Act without fear or favour.
The SC had earlier said that the use of beacons and sirens was a "reflection of British Raj".
Earlier, the bench had said that misuse of red beacon and siren, granted by government to VIPs, is a menace to society and it must be stopped.
It had said the red light has become a status symbol and had said that police personnel, who are put on duty for giving security cover to VIPs, should be deployed for better purposes like making the roads safe for women.
