During the Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is learnt to have announced that Rule 108 (I) and 108 (II) of the Motor Vehicles Act, which allow central and state governments to permit red beacons for dignitaries, would be scrapped.

Every Indian is a VIP and the culture of beacon should have gone long ago, PM Modi said on twitter. ... He was responding to tweets on red beacon decision

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to shake up India’s privileged VIP culture, most notably symbolised by flashing red beacon lights on top of vehicles, by scrapping a rule that allowed the Central and State governments to nominate dignitaries who could use such lights.

Moreover, States are also being stripped of their power to specify persons whose vehicles can use blue flashing lights. Effective May 1, only emergency services vehicles such as ambulances, fire engine trucks, and police vehicles will be allowed to use blue lights. Red lights will not be permitted on any vehicle. Private vehicles will not be allowed to use either red or blue lights.