Punjab prohibts red beacons on vehicles

Chandigarh, April 15 (IANS) The Punjab government on Saturday issued a formal notification prohibiting the use of red beacon light on all vehicles, except for certain exempted categories.

"This is a major step towards the elimination of VIP culture," a state government spokesperson said here.

The Punjab Chief Minister, ministers, legislators, officers and senior government functionaries are not allowed to use red beacons.

The Punjab cabinet, at its first meeting last month, decided to end VIP culture. It decided that red beacons will not be allowed, except for exempt categories, and names of ministers and legislators will not be put on foundation and inauguration stones.

"The notification, issued by the Department of Transport, supersedes all previous notifications on the use of red and other coloured beacon lights," the spokesperson said.

As per the notification, red light with flasher can now be used only a few categories of high dignitaries, which include the Punjab Governor, Chief Justice and Judges of Punjab and Haryana High Court, four vehicles of General Administration (Protocol Branch) will be authorised to use red light with flasher for visiting dignitaries who have been authorised use of red light by the Centre or their respective states.

Escort vehicles travelling with all these authorized vehicles can use blue light with flasher. The other category of exempt vehicles related to those on emergency duty, including vehicles with "Ambulance', "Disaster Recovery", "Police" or "Fire Services".

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