Kolkata Police will check documents of all cars fitted with beacons to verify whether the users are entitled to the privilege.

The police headquarters at Lalbazar sent a message to all 25 traffic guards in thecity directing officers to conduct sudden checks of the papers of vehicles fitted with beacons.

“A state government notification has specified who all are entitled to beacon-fitted cars. The traffic guards have been instructed to check entitlement following the government notification,” a senior officer at Lalbazar said.

“There are specific sections in the central and state motor vehicles rules under which car owners can be prosecuted for unauthorised use of beacons.”

A July 2021 notification issued by the transport department lists over a dozen categories of vehicle users entitled to use the beacon while on duty. Some of those entitled to the privilege are:

• Ministers-in-charge and ministers of state of the state government, chief secretary, additional chief secretary/principal secretary/secretary of the state government
• Divisional commissioners in their respective areas, director-general of police/additional directors-general of police
• Director-general of fire services, commissioner of state excise and commissioner of commercial taxes
• Inspectors-general and deputy inspectors-general of police in charge of police zones/ranges (they are entitled to beacons in their respective areas)
• District magistrates and all municipal commissioners in their respective areas
• Commissioners/additional commissioners/joint commissioners/deputy commissioners of police in their respective areas
• Superintendents of police districts in their respective areas
• Sub-divisional officers/sub-divisional police officers in their respective areas
• Police patrol cars, escort vehicles and fire tenders.

The notification was issued after the police arrested a few people for allegedly posing as senior officers of the state government and the CBI and using vehicles with beacons fitted on them, senior officials in the transport department said.

Several police officers said it is not easy to implement the beacon rule in a city where misuse of beacons and flashers is rampant.

Cops on roads often come in for a lot of flak if they try to stop a beacon-fitted vehicle and seek details of the persons inside.

The traffic guards have also been instructed to check vehicles fitted with tinted glass. Officers have been told to use special devices to check whether the tinted glass has 70 per cent visibility (the minimum requirement).

“Violators can be booked under motor vehicles rules and fined ₹500,” said a senior officer. “All traffic guards have been provided with the devices to check tinted glass.”

The message to the traffic guards also states that officers must carry out raids to prevent helmet-less riding and rash and negligent driving. Many road accident victims are found to be riding two-wheelers without wearing a helmet.

“The traffic guards have been asked to submit reports on steps taken to implement the orders on beacons, tinted glass, helmet-less riding and rash and negligent driving,” the officer said.