From next month, lal batti or red beacons will be banned for everybody including the President, Prime Minister and the Chief Justice of India. "There will be no exceptions," said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today, announcing after a cabinet meeting that only emergency vehicles like fire engines, ambulances and police vans can have beacons. "Blue lights, used often for the car preceding VIPs, will be allowed only for emergency vehicles," said Mr Jaitley, explaining what the government calls a move to end "VIP culture".
