Thiruvananthapuram: It seems the ministers, legislators and board members in Kerala are adamant about maintaining a ‘VIP culture’ on the roads. In order to overcome the Central government’s ban on beacon lights on official vehicles issued in 2017, the state’s VIPs have now installed flashlights with red and blue colours on the vehicle grills.

However, officers of the state’s own Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) said that the flashlights are a violation of the rules. Such lights cause much difficulty to drivers of vehicles coming in the opposite direction, they added.

When the Centre banned beacon lights, the VIPs in Kerala, including the Chief Minister, removed these fittings from their vehicles. Under the Central rules, beacon lights could be installed only on the vehicles of officers engaged in law enforcement, fire and rescue service vehicles and ambulances.

The Central law also made normal registration numbers mandatory for ministers’ vehicles apart from the name plates with ‘Kerala State’ followed by a number.

However, recently, VIP vehicles started displaying flashlights.

According to the Motor Vehicle Rules, the only illumination allowed on the front side of a vehicle is white headlamps and indicator lights. No light which diverts the attention of a driver in a vehicle from the opposite direction is to be installed.

But, many people point out that the flashlights on the vehicles of Kerala VIPs strain their eyes and even blind them. The flashlights are available online and at car accessory shops at prices starting from Rs 4,500. Some models cost Rs 10,000.

In Kerala, the official vehicles of the chief minister and other ministers are allotted by the Tourism Department. The maintenance also is carried out in the garages maintained by the department.