The Narendra Modi Government, today, banned the usage of red beacon on vehicles attached to dignitaries, including the central and state ministers and other VVIPs.

The “lal batti culture” ban was carried at the meeting of the cabinet ministers. However, the decision will be implemented from May 1. Only the five categories - President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India and the Lok Sabha Speaker, would be allowed to use the red beacon, says reports.

Nagpur current Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari, who removed his own beacon, said that the red beacon will be allowed only on the emergency service vehicles, effective from May 1. All the union ministers, chief ministers, state cabinet ministers, bureaucrats and judges of the High Court and Supreme Court, are applicable for the ban.

Earlier, last week, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has called a meeting to discuss, whether the red beacon, should be restricted or removed to certain dignitaries. The newly elected chief ministers of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, Captain Amarinder Singh and Yogi Adityanath have already took up the initiative, to either end or restrict VIP culture.

In its first cabinet meeting, chaired by Captain Amarinder, the newly formed Punjab Government, decided to completely put an end to the VIP culture, by removing the red, yellow and blue beacons from their official vehicles.  

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