No brakes to red beacons

Visakhapatnam: Despite the Supreme Court’s order banning the use of beacons and sirens, police vehicles  and some other departments and political leaders continue to zoom around Vizag sporting the red light in blatant violation of the Apex court orders.

Ironically, few police inspectors and government officials including  those of Revenue and Income Tax departments are using beacons and loud sirens on their vehicles on the busiest roads in the city inconveniencing other motorists.

However, there is no coordination between traffic police and officials of Road Transport Authority to crack the whip on beacons and sirens. As per the SC orders, no officer  including commissioner of municipal corporations, vice-chairman of urban development authority, commissioner of police, superintendent of police, MLA, MP, is eligible to use red beacon.

Officials of RTA said  that as per the AP Motor Vehicle  rule 313, the red beacons can be used on vehicles of the chief secretary, chief justice of High Court, director general of police and few others. As per APMV rule 314, blue beacon can  be used by vehicles carrying ministers and few others.

In Vizag some men in uniform and some government officials are using red beacons while few MLAs are using the blue beacons. However, officials of both RTA and police refused to divulge the names of the officials and political leaders flouting the norms.

Misuse of sirens also rampant in Vizag, particularly on National Highway-16 stretch and few other busy roads, as per the norms siren supposed to be used only police patrolling teams, fire departments vehicles and ambulances.

Additional deputy commissioner of police (Traffic) V. Suresh Babu said that they are chalking out plans to initiate action against those violating beacons norms by removing the beacons and penalise the offenders.

Sources said that commissioner of police, B. Shivadhar Reddy advised officials of various departments in Vizag not to use the red beacons around two months back. But, few officials removed the beacons on their vehicles while many ignored police instructions and continuing the flouting the norms.