Probably fearing repercussion, the Transport department officials have not imposed challan on the Government officials or political executives who are using red or blue beacons on their vehicles without being eligible for it.
One of the department officials said that though they have not imposed challan on Government officers who use beacons atop their vehicles without authorisation, taking
cognisance of media reports on this, the department has written a letter to Dehradun district magistrate to prevent ineligible officers from using beacons on their official’s vehicle.
Dehradun Regional Transport enforcement officials were hesitant to answer when they were asked about why department officials had not imposed challan on Government officers and politicians who were found using the beacons without authorisation when they were caught in drives conducted by the department in the past.
According to department officials, since 2005, the department had imposed challan on six private persons who were caught using blue and red beacon on their vehicles without authorisation.
The department had issued 12 notices to departments concerned for unauthorised use of beacons by the departmental officials.
The Transport officials appreciated the DGP’s decision on writing a letter to the government for issuing blue or red stickers for those eligible to use the beacons in the State
According to them, it would easy for them to impose challan on government officers and politicians if they caught using the beacons without authorisation.
Though Dehradun Assistant Region Transport officer Sandeep Saini did not pick up the phone when this correspondent tried to contact him, it should be mentioned here that concerned about the risk of the beacons being misused by anti-social elements, the Uttarakhand Director General of Police BS Sidhu wrote a letter to the state government to issue stickers in blue and red colours for Government officers or any persons of the State who are eligible for using beacon on their official vehicle.