The Kerala government may approach the Centre to relax norms on the use of red beacons on official vehicles, as recommended by state Transport Commissioner S. Anandakrishnan, according to a Manorama report.
The commissioner stated in his report that the authority of the state for giving permission to use red beacons in emergency situations should be restored.
Joint transport commissioner Rajeev Puthalath confirmed to The News Minute that the transport commissioner has handed over the report to the state govt.
The Centre, while issuing the ban order, had earlier mentioned that objections, if any, should be intimated within 10 days. In this context, the transport commissioner made his recommendation.
The two demands raised by the state were with respect to permission to use red beacons on emergency vehicles and authority to be given to the state for granting such permissions.
Currently, the ‘emergency’ category comprises police, ambulance and forests while the CM and other ministers fall under VIP list.
After the CM sees the commissioner’s report, it will be sent to the Centre.
Many ministers have got rid of the red beacon before the Centre’s order which comes into force from May 1 and a response from the Centre to the state’s request before this date looks unlikely, the report says.
This implies that the Kerala CM and other ministers will be forced to remove their red beacons by this date.
Earlier, the government had announced on April 19 that no red beacon will be allowed atop any official vehicle and there will be no exceptions.
This decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the same day.
"The government is of the considered opinion that beacons on vehicles are perceived symbols of VIP culture and have no place in a democratic country. They have no relevance whatsoever,” Transport Minister Gadkari had said.