After chief minister Naveen Patnaik removed the red beacon from his cars on April 19 as soon as the Centre banned the use of red lights with effect from May 1, all state ministers as well as senior officials, including chief secretaries, followed suit. Security officials manning the state secretariat gate told The Telegraph that since Naveen’s move, not a single car entered the premises with a red beacon. For the past few days, traffic police personnel posted at city’s important locations are relatively relaxed. The honking of VIP cars with red beacons has fallen silent. The traffic cops also are happy as they do not have to salute every passing VIP car. At AG Square, traffic constables had to be especially alert as VIP cars passed the place every 10 minutes. Now they don’t have to bother about it. Cars of the governor and the chief minister, however, are exceptions because they have pilot cars escorting them. The Telegraph spoke to several people, from parking attendants to cops, to assess their opinion about the big change. Here are some excerpts
Usually, I lose count of the times I have to salute VIPs. This is now over. If I my conscience tells me to salute, only then do I do it now. Sometimes, I noticed the families of VIPs travelling in cars fitted with red beacons. I hope this beacon business is over for good
A police constable
Some officers didn’t mind if the car’s air-conditioning was not working but they got upset if the beacon stopped flashing. I have seen officers who want beacons to flash even in the afternoon. An officer had lodged a complaint with my agency for not flashing the beacon and I was removed from that duty following day
Chauffeur, with a private taxi operator
I have noticed the arrogance in them when they travel in a car with the beacon flashing. Some officers insist that the beacons be flashed even when they are going to meet their relatives or attend some social event. Beacons are like crowns on the heads of modern-day kings
Driver, of an IAS officer
Text by Subhashish Mohanty, pictures by Ashwinee Pati
