New Delhi: The government announced on Wednesday that from May 1st on-wards no VIP will be allowed to use red beacon lights on their official vehicles including President and Prime Minister to end VVIP culture in country.
Seeking to end VIP culture, the Union Cabinet today decided that beacon light will be removed from all vehicles, including that of Prime Minister, from May 1st.
“In a historic decision, the Cabinet has decided that beacon lights will be removed from all vehicles, barring emergency services vehicles, from May 1,” Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said.
Gadkari is the first minister to remove the beacon from his official vehicle.
The minister said “this government is a government of common masses and has decided to abolish VIP culture of beacon lights and sirens”.
The notification in this regard will be issued soon, he said, adding that the decision is a democratic one.
A decision to this effect was taken at a Union Cabinet meet presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters, “From May 1 no one in the country would be able to have red beacons atop official vehicles. There will be no exceptions.”
Jaitley also said that a rule which gives the Centre and state governments the right to use blue beacons with flasher has also being changed.
He said, “Only defined emergency services will be allowed to carry blue beacons with flasher.”
