Supreme Court allows police, armed forces, emergency vehicles and ambulances to use red beacon in Delhi ..

Supreme Court on Monday allowed ambulances to use the red beacon.Modifying its earlier order, the Supreme Court on Monday again allowed the police in the capital, armed forces, emergency vehicles and ambulances to use the red beacon after it found merit in the Delhi government's plea that the blue beacon, which was permitted earlier, was not visible in the Capital's fog and dust.
Urging for the modification of the December 2013 order, the government's counsel Siddharth Luthra cited the Rayleigh Theory on scattering of light to assert that red has the maximum wavelength and, thus, the maximum scattering of incident light.
"Red light has maximum penetration even in low-visibility conditions such as fog, dust and night time. Blue light has the minimum wavelength, maximum scattering and least penetration," he said.

 

 

Luthra said when the court delivered its order, the issue regarding the change in beacon colour was not deliberated upon and, hence, the scientific purpose behind the use of red beacons could not be pointed out.
The plea added many countries like the USA, Australia and Canada used red beacon lights for emergency vehicles and the same should be followed here too.
Putting an end to the rampant misuse of red beacon lights atop cars as a VIP status symbol, the Supreme Court in a significant ruling on December 10, 2013 said only dignitaries holding Constitutional posts at the Centre and states are entitled to the privilege.
The court had said those engaged in emergency duties such as the ambulance and fire services, or emergency maintenance, will be entitled to use blue, yellow white or multi-coloured lights instead of red beacons.
The court has now posted the PIL for final hearing in April and asked states to file their responses within two weeks. In December 2013, the apex court had held that red beacons be allowed only by persons holding Constitutional posts and dignitaries to prevent its misuse. It had also asked the Centre to issue a fresh list of people eligible for using red beacon on their vehicles and also asked it amend the rule. The court's order was passed on a PIL filed by Uttar Pradesh resident Abhay Singh. It had said the red light has become a status symbol and that police personnel, who are put on duty as a security cover for VIPs, should be deployed for better purposes like making the roads safe for women.
The judges had earlier said people use red lights on their vehicles for committing crimes because police officials are scared of checking vehicles with red lights.

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