Illegal use of beacon in Lucknow

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Illegal use of beacon in Lucknow

These days, red beacon lights are getting common on the Lucknow roads. Not only the common people but also law makers, MPs, MLAs and corporates who are not authorised are using it. By giving few hundred rupees, one easily gets these lights.

CJ: Yogesh Kant

Wed, Apr 23, 2008 11:45:31 IST

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lucknow up india :

“I AM recollecting my days when I didn’t have a beacon installed on my vehicle as a SSP,” said Shriram Arun, former DGP Uttar Pradesh. We were the first to launch a campaign against this illegal use of fancy number plates where both the legislature and the judiciary cooperated with us.

As the top cop refrains from flaunting a VIP light on his vehicle, this hardly act as a deterrent for a sizeable chunk of UP’s populace who unabashedly flaunts beacon light in a bid to evade the law. Topping the list reportedly are MPs, MLAs and corporates, who are not authorised to use beacon lights, unless they are handling a portfolio. A trip to UP assembly, secretariat or even Bapu Bhawan is evidence enough.

Putting a red light (beacon) on top of car guarantee a kind of legal exemption from khaki-clad cops on the road, the flashing beacon-light is an indication that the car’s occupant is a VIP. Constables under the traffic police need to think before they act, as far as such vehicles violate the traffic norms. And in Lucknow choked roads, the fastest way to sail through is to switch on these sirens.

However, Rameshwer dayal, additional transport commissioner, says, “We do launch such campaigns to stop the illegal use of beacon light from time to time as per our analysis unlawful use of beacon light are decreasing day by day.” Even though we all know it very well what the situations are prevailing on state capital road.

“A politically complex city, where every second driver claims to be having contacts with eminent politicians and bureaucrats, dictate petty constables who are the first point of contact with such law breakers. So, such cars are seldom challenged,” said a police official.

Figures of the traffic police suggest that the number of motorists caught with illegal beacon lights during 2006 was near about a dozen. In 2007, action had been taken against nine such vehicles. According to Motor Vehicle Act 1989 section 177 using beacon lights on private car is a punishable offence.

But the police maintain that misuse of such lights is very high. “In practice, any person can get a red light put on his car for a few hundred rupees. People do it to avoid getting penalised, says a police official. And with beacon on car hardly any checks, the chances of being caught are also very low.

“We have already launched campaign against illegal use of fancy number plate, beacons and other activities, which against the law and being performed by the violators,” says Arvind Sen, SP Traffic Lucknow.

According to law, the beacon can be put only on cars of specified dignitaries and can be switched on only if the dignitary is sitting in the car and is on duty. Else, the red light is supposed to be not used and covered with a black cover. Even police officers, who are allowed to use such light, can only switch those on in their area of jurisdiction.

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