On a visit to the JJ Flyover Junction last week, noise pollution from honking measured 95.3 dB. The sound was continuous and deafening.
The year 2022 may become a turning point when noise from honking finally becomes a mainstream enforcement drive of the Mumbai Police. Recently, the fines for honking and noise pollution were doubled by a notification to the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules. The ‘Road Safety Month’ observed by the transport and police departments mid-January to mid-February is an ideal launch-pad for strict enforcement.
On October 16, 2021, Awaaz Foundation conducted the first training session on noise from traffic for 80 traffic constables. The 45-minute session focused on the sections of law under which action can be taken against traffic noise and on educating traffic police about the reasons for taking action, including ill effects of noise on their own health, on the health of people living in noisy areas and even of drivers and pedestrians on the road.
The training session explained the need to test hearing of people exposed to continuous traffic noise and encouraged use of the hearWHO App developed by the World Health Organisation which would allow police constables (and anyone else) to download and test their own hearing on an Android phone to determine the need for further testing at a hearing clinic or hospital.
In 2015, we conducted a random small survey of traffic policemen in partnership with NGO Aured. We used a mobile van equipped with an audiometer found over 70% of constables had hearing loss.
In March 2021, Dr Harsh Vardhan, then Union Health Minister and ENT surgeon presided over the World Health Organisation’s first World Hearing Day. He said that India faces an ‘impending mountain of hearing loss.” Figures released by WHO show that almost a quarter of people requiring “rehabilitation services for their hearing loss” are in India and nearby regions.
In addition to hearing loss, noise pollution also leads to heart disease, high blood pressure and mental health illness.
Mumbai is already among the noisiest cities in the world and the decibel level continuously exceeds the zone-wise Noise Rules and the WHO safe limit of 85dB.
Continuous honking and tampering with silencers not only affects health but also adversely affects road safety. When everyone honks at the same time, the horn is not audible when it is required as an emergency warning signal.
The traffic police are empowered to take legal action. Alongside training sessions, awareness and enforcement drives are crucial. These should be undertaken similar to other police drives like drunk-driving, seatbelt helmet, mobile-phone and other campaigns which have proved their efficacy and which will be the focus during the holiday season.
The first No Honking Day in India was conducted by the traffic police and Awaaz Foundation in Mumbai. It was organised by then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Harish Baijal and Joint Commissioner of Police Traffic, Hemant Karkare. Hundreds of fines were collected on that day alone.
Thereafter, there have been numerous no-honking days in other Indian cities too. But no sustained campaign or training sessions of police personnel on implementation of law have been held in the intervening years.
Maharashtra government declared a no honking year in 2018 and held awareness programs including ‘Horn Vrat’ with Awaaz Foundation.
It is perfectly possible to drive in Mumbai without honking. My own family members do not honk. Our driver Sanjay Salunkhe has driven without honking for over 15 years. However, while the Government has conducted awareness drives, enforcement of noise rules against honking is lacking. Motorcycles with tampered silencers also continue to break noise pollution rules with impunity.
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
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