We often find vehicles flashing red lights and sounding sirens as they move along the roads particularly at congested spots. Who permits them to do so when there are clear orders as to who is authorized to use the sirens and red beacons? Some people are hankering after status symbols. They think that brandishing the red lights makes them important persons in the eyes of the people and the traffic police. The Supreme Court has taken very serious note of such an illegal action on the part of some persons holding no official position and not authorized to use them.
The Apex Court says in its order that there are cases when criminals use red lights on their vehicles to frighten the traffic police who, thinking they are very important persons, do not dare to check them. These law breakers have created an aura of importance around them that the traffic police do not even touch them. Shrill notes emanating from sirens illegally fitted to the vehicles cause noise pollution and disturb peaceful life of ordinary citizens. The Bench of the Supreme Court has pointed out that for last 24 years, this practice has been going on and the authorities have not been able to check it. Calling it the “Raj mentality”, the court has ordered that nobody except the highest dignitaries in the country shall use these facilities. However, in cases of emergency, the red lights can be used though even the nature of emergency also needs to be specified.
Red generally reflects power and authority. No person can claim to demonstrate power when it is not given to him by the State or the society. Power means authority. The Court has said that only dignitaries with high authority are allowed to have beacon lights and sirens for the pilot vehicle. Included among the dignitaries are the President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Cabinet Ministers, Governors, Chief Minister besides Chiefs of three Defence services. Court order also restrained the Centre and State Governments from enlarging the scope of the term ‘high dignitaries’ beyond what is prescribed in notifications issued by Centre in 2002 and 2005. However, on the insistence of the Union Government, the Supreme Court has allowed the beacon light to be used by senior Government authority when on duty but not otherwise.
It is strange that despite the fact that rules are clear as to who is authorized to use the red light and siren, the authorities have never cared to implement them and spare the Court the exercise of re-ding things and reminding the Government of its duty. We have been noticing that the trend in our country is to obtain the ruling from the Supreme Court while the administration itself has the power and jurisdiction to do so. Why should the Supreme Court be approached to do something which the Government is expected to do under rules? The Supreme Court has to ensure justice while the Government and the executive have to govern. The Government cannot escape its responsibility of governing and executing. With the ruling given by the Supreme Court, the people will heave a sigh of relief especially in crowded cities and towns where there are traffic snarls and the commuters want to get rid of it.
The court order should have salutary impact on the traffic system in our State where traffic rules are freely violated with impunity. We have reflected in these columns on the traffic snarls in the twin capital cities. The ground situation is becoming critical day after day as the number of vehicles is increasing fast while the roads remain as narrow as these are and there is hardly a street in Jammu city where traffic moves smoothly without jam. In some areas traffic jams have become too common and people have to leave their home early in the morning to escape jams. City transport in the two capital cities has become cumbersome and a situation of chaos prevails. The Government has to address this serious question without delay. A proper city traffic plan shall have to be drawn. Reconstructing the city traffic needs money and manpower. Government must consider major policy shift like introducing electric tramways and monorails etc.
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