'Ban on black-tinted glasses tougher to implement'

Transport authorities as well as the traffic police are of the opinion that the Union Cabinet decision to ban red beacons on cars of dignitaries and VIPs might be easier to implement than the ban on black-tinted glasses in cars. These officials pointed out that the ban on red beacons is a blanket one — encompassing everyone from the President, the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India — which means that no one can claim to be an exception to the rule.

The Supreme Court, while banning black-film-tinted windows in April 2012, had said that "cases of the persons who have been provided with Z and Z+ security may be considered by a committee consisting of the director general of police/commissioner of police of the concerned state and the home secretary of that state/centre. The committee will examine such cases for grant of exemption in accordance with the law and upon due application of mind."

Speaking to DNA, a senior transport official said, "Maharashtra's transport department has 63 flying squads with an average of two people in each squad. These squads invariably end up concentrating on overloading of public transport vehicles since that nets the maximum fines. It is true that the fight against black tinted glasses is not as strict as it should have been."