BMC Removes Flashing Lights From Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde’s Car Following Social Media & RTI Protest

· Free Press Journal

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on Saturday removed the red and blue flashing lights installed on the official vehicle of Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and the escort vehicle accompanying her, after a controversy erupted over whether the use of such lights was authorised.

According to a Times Of India report, The matter gained traction over the past few days following social media posts and a formal complaint by an RTI activist, which questioned whether the installation of police style lights violated rules introduced to curb VIP culture.

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Issues First Surfaces On Social Media

The controversy first came to public attention on March 11 when an X user with the handle posted a photograph of the mayor’s official car showing red and blue flashing lights mounted on the vehicle.

The post questioned whether the mayor had permission to use lights resembling those installed on police vehicles. The images quickly circulated on social media and triggered debate about whether the installation was in line with existing regulations.

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RTI Activist Raises Objection

Two days later, RTI activist Anil Galgali formally raised the issue with the mayor. In a letter dated March 13, he objected to what he described as the unauthorised use of flashing lights on official vehicles.

In his communication, Galgali stated that such lights had been installed on both the mayor’s car and the escort vehicle accompanying it.

He pointed out that the Central Government had already restricted the use of flashing lights to specific emergency services and urged authorities to treat the matter seriously and take immediate action.

The escort vehicle, a Scorpio, was reportedly used by the mayor’s personal assistants and protocol officer and was also seen carrying similar flashing lights.

Mayor Calls It Administrative Lapse

Responding to the controversy, Mayor Ritu Tawde said she had no interest in using a beacon on her vehicle and described the incident as an administrative oversight.

“As mayor, I have no interest in a red beacon car. This is a mistake of the administration. While providing an official vehicle to the mayor, the administration should have checked what was permissible,” she said.

Tawde added that she simply used the official vehicle allotted to her and said the responsibility of ensuring compliance with regulations lay with the civic administration.

She also indicated that she was not particularly concerned about the criticism coming from the opposition.

Fadnavis Says Mayor Should Not Be Blamed

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also addressed the issue and said the mayor should not be held responsible for the controversy.

According to him, inquiries revealed that the light was mounted on the bonnet of the vehicle rather than on the roof.

He reiterated that the government’s earlier decision clearly prohibits the use of red beacons on official vehicles and said the mayor was aware of these rules. Fadnavis added that targeting her over the issue was not justified.

Political Reactions And Rule Background

The episode drew political reactions as well. Leader of the Opposition and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar criticised the development, stating that it went against the Centre’s move to eliminate VIP culture.

She questioned whether the mayor considered herself above the rules introduced by the central government and pointed out that the use of red beacons had been banned in 2017.

Under the decision implemented from May 1, 2017, the Central Government prohibited the display of red beacons, insignia and similar symbols on government vehicles, except for authorised emergency services.

Following that order, the red beacon had earlier been removed from the mayor’s official vehicle during the tenure of then mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar.

Meanwhile, UBT MLC Milind Narvekar also commented on the issue on social media, questioning whether the controversy was an attempt to target the newly elected mayor.

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