Himachal prohibits use of red beacons

Shimla, April 21 : The Congress government in Himachal Pradesh on Friday issued a notification prohibiting the use of red beacons on all vehicles, except those of the High Court judges.

The notification, issued by the Transport Department under Rule 108 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules of 1989, supersedes all previous notifications on the use of red and other coloured beacons, an official spokesperson told IANS.

As per the notification, red light with flasher can now be used only by the Chief Justice and judges of the High Court.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who is currently in New Delhi, has stopped using a red beacon on his official vehicle, the day the Narendra Modi government put a countrywide ban on it from May 1.

Governor Acharya Devvrat also removed the red beacon from his official vehicle on Thursday.

Hailing the decision of the Union Cabinet to ban red beacons atop the cars of all ministers, politicians and bureaucrats, Devvrat said it would help in ending VIP culture in the country.

State Transport Minister G.S. Bali took the lead in denouncing the use of red beacons on his vehicles even before the Union Cabinet decision.