With Red Beacons Gone, Sirens Are The New Status Symbol For VIPs On Indian Roads

The VIP culture is here to stay. It doesn't seem to end, come what may. So, despite ban on the much-cherished red beacon, the VIPs are not ready to give up their status symbol. Now they have sirens to distinguish themselves with the rest of the people.

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Such incidents have been reported from at least in two states, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. In Madhya Pradesh, while some politicians of the ruling BJP grudgingly followed CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan's example and removed the beacon, others planted hooters on their cars as the new VIP symbol.

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The noise of the hooters upset citizens who had welcomed the beacon ban. "Beacons are gone, but what about hooters and sirens? It's irritating when vehicles blaring sirens tailgate you and try to overtake even on narrow roads. Sirens have no use, apart from emergency vehicles, and only add to noise pollution," said Vineet Sharma, a private firm employee.

In Hyderabad, motorists travelling towards Panjagutta from Khairatabad were in for a rude shock as a vehicle with siren kept on honking.

"Initially, I thought it was an ambulance trying to make way and I swerved towards the left, but soon I realised it was actually a politician's car. The beacon was not flashing, but the driver kept the siren on," an eyewitness said.

The blaring siren went on for five minutes before the car eventually sped away at the signal towards Ameerpet.

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Many VIPs were also seen using sirens near road junctions, extracting "green channel" from the traffic police posted there at the expense of common motorists. Hyderabad joint commissioner of police (Traffic) V Ravinder said pilot vehicles of VIPs generally use siren only near junctions and not otherwise.

"It amounts to noise pollution and we do not allow its extensive usage."

Other states, like Maharashtra, are exploring options that can be exercised by VIPs without flouting the new rules. Minister of state for home Deepak Kesarkar has written to the state DGP to look for other options, which do not violate the new rules.

Also Read: PM Modi Finally Ends The Era Of VIP Culture, Bans 'Lal Batti' On Vehicles

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Kesarkar said when a VIP like a minister is travelling, there should be something to distinguish his car from other vehicles for the purpose of security.

Also Read: The Laal Batti Is Dead, But It'll Take More Than That To Kill India's VIP Culture

Meanwhile, a minister in Karnataka is still defiant and continues to use the red beacon on his car.

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Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies U T Khader defended his move claiming that ¡°I am not moving around with the red beacon light placed on my head. It is installed on my car.¡¯¡¯

He also said that since the car was given to him by the state government, he will remove the red beacon only if chief minister Siddaramaiah asks him to do so.