SC decision on beacons welcomed

Delhi residents welcomed the Supreme Court's (SC) order Tuesday restricting the use of red beacons without flashers only to high constitutional functionaries and blue ones for emergency services and the police.

People in the national capital feel the verdict should have come much earlier but they are still happy at the restriction on red beacons.

"This is a great decision. It has almost become a fashion for a member of legislative assembly and member of parliament to use a red beacon and move around the city. The use of red beacons by political leaders has created a gap between people and their representatives," said Akhbar Chaudhary, pursuing a Ph.D. at the Jawaharlal Nehru University.

"Instead of bringing politicians and bureaucrats closer to the masses, this show-off distances them. Moreover, those flashing the red and blue beacons on their cars never realise the traffic snarls their convoy creates whenever they move on a road," he added.

"I now hope common people will heave a sigh of relief from the traffic jams that occurred because of the red beacon cars used by senior bureaucrats and ministers," said Ashok Dandekar, a resident of Mandi House, an area where many central government offices are located.

"Moreover, if the job of ministers and bureaucrats is to work for people, then what is the point of their using red and blue beacon cars which differentiates them from the general public?" asked Dandekar.

Raima Kutir, pursuing graduation from Delhi University and a resident of Kidwai Nagar (west) in south Delhi, expressed happiness at the verdict as she believes the decision will bring political leaders and bureaucrats down to earth which will work in favour of the public.

Earlier in the day, speaking to mediapersons on the SC verdict, Minister for Rural Development Jairam Ramesh said that legally, only the President and the prime minister are authorised to use red beacon cars.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in a tweet Tuesday morning also said the red beacons should be limited only to the President and the prime minister.