After a successful campaign against drink driving, the Mumbai police has decided to crack down on people who are using red and amber beacons on their vehicles without any authorisation.
After a successful campaign against drink driving, the Mumbai Police has decided to crack down on people who are using red and amber beacons on their vehicles without any authorisation. In a recent meeting with senior officers, police commissioner Arup Patnaik said that the beacons may be used by terrorist elements and so a crackdown was necessary.
“It has come to our notice that a lot of people are using beacon-fitted vehicles without any authorisation. Anti-social elements may use such vehicles to gain access to prohibited or restricted areas, as it has happened in the past. Underworld operatives may also take undue advantage of beacons. Some people use them to cross toll nakas without paying the toll. As such, a drive against this menace is necessary,” Patnaik said.
He added that a thorough check of beacon-fitted vehicles needs to be conducted. He said: “Action can be taken against offenders under relevant sections of the Indian Motor Vehicles Act. We will also confiscate the beacons if the vehicles are found to be using them without proper authorisation. The number of offenders will come down once a proper drive is started.”
As per a recent government resolution (GR) issued by the state home department, around 130 important people, including central and state ministers, magistrates, judges and senior government officials, are entitled to have red or amber beacons on their vehicles.
The GR, a copy of which is with DNA, states that the department received many requests from government officials for permission to fit beacons on their vehicles. The additional chief secretary formed a special committee to decide on a few issues regarding the issuance of beacons. The committee gave its recommendations and a list of those who are entitled to use beacons.
“There is a list of those who are entitled to use beacons. Barring them, even private and government vehicles which are not entitled to use beacons will have to remove them, or else action can be taken against the official and the driver,” the GR states.
If the official is not in the vehicle, it is the driver’s responsibility to cover the beacon. “In order to prevent the misuse of beacons, the permitted vehicles should be given stickers from the transport department. The stickers would bear the vehicle number, designation of the officer and the sticker number. If a vehicle uses a beacon without a sticker, it will be considered as unauthorised. Action can be taken in this regard by the transport and police departments,” the GR states.
The GR adds that the transport commissioner has to initiate a drive and submit an action taken report, with remarks and statistics, to the government on the last day of every week. As per regulations, the transport commissioner has to decide on the siren’s decibel level.
The GR adds that non-governmental organisations frequently receive complaints that unauthorised and unlicensed government vehicles have beacons with sirens fitted on them. This violates the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and the Noise Pollution Act.
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