VIP beacons removed: Civil servants look for alternatives to identify VIP cars
- Soon-to-be redundant VIP beacons give cold sweats to mullahs in Telangana
- VIPs try to find alternative ways to identify their cars.
FollowWhile removing beacons from VIP cars tears down all special privileges coming with it, it also raises security concerns and issues that might rise out of the new dictum. May 1 being the deadline for removing the beacons from atop VIP cars, government officials believe that this would make things difficult for security escorts who often accompany high-profile politicians to their destination.
High-profile bureaucrats are looking for excuses to re-instate their beacons saying that if the beacons are removed, the escorts would not know whom to follow since the VIP cars will mingle with the VIP car in traffic. Babus and mantris have aso made special requests for traffic clearance during emergency meetings. They are also worried that their parking privileges will take a hit and that they would not have access to highly-secured areas.
While a few such ministers are lobbying into marking their VIP cars with a differentiating symbol, there are other ministers who are willing to do away with the privilege willingly. Excise and prohibition minister T. Padma Rao, for instance, said, "I have removed the beacon light from my official vehicle today. It doesn’t make a difference when you are close to people. We had it because it was permitted."
