Reportedly, UP CM Yogi Adityanath has allowed his ministers to use red beacons but with riders. On their cars, ministers can use laal batti but they have to give up the hooters and sirens.
Yogi has urged all his ministerial colleagues to shun siren and hooters as they create noise pollution, informed cabinet minister Siddhartha Nath Singh to media.
However, cabinet minister made it clear that the red beacons would stay.
This has ended the speculation that CM Adityanath would, like Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, make his ministers sacrifice the red beacons.
Uma Bharti's take on red beacons:
Interestingly, Union Minister Uma Bharti was among those who recently spoke in favour of letting ministers retain the red beacons. There would be more problems and accidents if official vehicles of ministers did not have the red beacon, she said and added that the government would get delayed if ministers weren't able to use beacons and had to spend more time on the roads.
Are hooters and sirens legal?
Interestingly, as per law, hooters and sirens are illegal. As per Central Motor Vehicles Rules, that spells out what is legal on India's roads and what is not, only permits emergency vehicles such as an ambulance, police and fire engines and heavy construction vehicles to use hooters. The central rules do not allow states to exempt anyone from this rule but policemen rarely penalise government or ministerial vehicles that frequently flout this provision.
Pan India: List of Dignitaries of Indian Government who are allowed the use of the beacon
- Red beacon (with flasher)
President
Vice-President
Prime Minister
Chief Justice of India (CJI)
Speaker of the Lok Sabha
Deputy Prime Minister
Justices of the Supreme Court
Governors
Chief Ministers
Chief Justice of High courts
Justices of the High courts
Cabinet Ministers of the Union
University vice-chancellors
Deputy Chairman, NITI Aayog (Formerly Planning Commission)
Chief Election Commissioner
Comptroller and Auditor General of India
Chairman of Commissions holding equal rank to cabinet ministers.
- Red beacon [without flasher]
Cabinet Secretary of India
Leader of opposition party in Rajya sabha and Lok Sabha
Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha
Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha
Ministers of the State of the Union
Attorney General of India
Members of the Parliament
Secretaries and Spl Secretaries to the Government of India
Chiefs of Staff of the three services holding the rank of General or equivalent rank
Deputy Ministers of the Union
Officiating Chiefs of Staff of the three services holding the rank of Lt. General or equivalent rank
Chairman, Central Administrative Tribunal