Red beacon lights ban

India bans use of red beacon lights on cars

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said "no vehicle will have a red light" from 1 May, and "there will no exceptions".

Under the new rule, only emergency vehicles, ambulances, fire engines and police cars can use flashing blue lights.

Critics say VIPs often use red beacons as a status symbol, leading to traffic chaos for commuters.

Status-conscious politicians and government officials are also accused of using the beacons to bypass the gridlocked city traffic on official business and show off their importance.