By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, April 19, 2017 : Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday evening took the lead in the country to do away with red beacon light atop his official vehicle exactly 11 days before the Union Cabinet’s decision to ban the use of red beacon comes into effect from May 1.

Naveen left for his residence Naveen Nivas from the State Secretariat here without the red beacon atop his official vehicle and ordered all his Ministers to do so with immediate effect.

The Union government on Wednesday announced that no red beacons would be allowed on official vehicles from May 1.

A decision to this effect was taken at a Union Cabinet meeting presided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“From May 1 no one in the country would be able to have red beacons atop official vehicles. There will be no exceptions,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters in New Delhi.

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.

Jaitley also said that a rule which gives the Centre and state governments the right to use blue beacons with flasher have also been changed.

Mr Jaitley said the government was “removing the rule which allows state and central government to specify who can use the red lights”.

Correspondents say the government’s move comes as a blow to India’s fabled “VIP culture” that privileges politicians and officials above ordinary citizens.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter to respond to messages from his followers about his government’s decision.

Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal took the lead in 2015 by asserting he would not have the red beacon on his car.

In 2013, India’s Supreme Court had said that only those holding constitutional office – the president, the prime minister, cabinet ministers, senior judges and some other officials – could have red beacons on their cars.