The State administration and police might get relief from their dilemma on the right of using red and blue beacons atop their vehicles after the latest order of Supreme Court.
As per the SC order, red beacon lights without flashers would be entitled only to the high constitutional functionaries while the blue beacon lights would be used only on emergency service vehicles and police vehicles. This was directed by the Apex court bench headed by Justice GS Singhvi. As per this order, sirens would only be used only on emergency and police vehicles but the sound should not be harsh and high-pitched.
When asked about the latest order of the Supreme Court, Regional Transport Officer (RTO), Dinesh Chandra Pathoi replied that the State government has not issued any instruction to the department on this issue yet and any decision in this regard would be taken only after receiving the instructions of the state government. He also added that as soon as the guidelines following the Supreme Court order are issued to the transport department the same would be followed effectively in the State.
Notably, in Uttarakhand the blue beacon lights are allowed on the vehicles of district administration officers subordinate to the district magistrate. Recently, the RTO had said that additional district magistrates, sub divisional magistrates and other administrative officers below the rank of District Magistrate were not entitled to use the blue beacons. The Dehradun DM had recently written to the Transport Commissioner stating that this practice has been continued since the times of undivided Uttar Pradesh. Since the police officers use blue beacons atop their official vehicles and since even Tehsildars use blue beacons in neighbouring UP, the DM had sought that administrative officers below the rank of DM be allowed to use the blue beacons on their official vehicles as they too had to respond to emergency situations. There was confusion regarding the action to be taken in this respect in Dehradun. The SC order is expected to clear the situation, state officials.