In an effort to create awareness about noise pollution and its adverse effects on environment and human health, the city's traffic police on Monday announced a 'No Honking Day' on Wednesday to check the trend of avoidable honking by motorists across the country's commercial capital.
Three years after it activated “punishing signals” — traffic signals linked to decibel meters — at major traffic junctions in the metropolis, the Mumbai police said that on the 'No Honking Day' they would initiate action against those who indulge in needless blaring of their vehicle horns as per the MV Act and also the Environment Protection Act, 1986.
“We urge the drivers and riders in the Mumbai city, except ambulances, fire brigades and other vehicles on emergency duties, not to honk the horns of their vehicle on 14th June 2023 and other days as well,” a senior traffic police official said.
“Motorists are advised to ensure that the horns of their vehicles are as per the guidelines laid down in Rule No. 119 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules of 1989. Action will be taken against those who are honking unnecessarily under Section 194 (F) MV Act, CMVR 119(2)/177 MV Act and Environment Protection Act 1986,” the traffic police said in a statement issued separately
Welcoming the decision of the traffic police, Anti-noise pollution crusader Sumaira Abdulali of Awaz Foundation said: “The traffic police started observing `No Honking Day' for the first time in 2006. Unfortunately, this kind of awareness has not much of an impact on the levels of noise pollution caused by the blaring of horns by motorists. It is good that the police have announced that they will act against the motorists who - through honking — violate the norms prescribed under the Environment Protection Act, 1986”.
“As an awareness campaign, `No Honking Day' is a good concept. But they should enforce noise control norms all through the year.....Motorcycles are the worst noise polluters on the roads, causing noise levels as high as 110 decibels, while most other vehicles are in the range of 90-100 decibels. Noise levels generated by all kinds of vehicles.... Since the fine for honking a nuisance has been doubled, the police can make use of the law,” Sumaira said.
Incidentally, Mumbai has 43 lakh vehicles — comprising two-wheelers, three-wheelers, cars, light and heavy motor vehicles, goods carriers, etc.
It may be recalled that on January 31, 2020, the Mumbai traffic police — in an effort to reduce noise pollution levels in the country's commercial capital, had rolled out a novel “Punishing Signal” campaign - centred around “Honk more, wait more” theme — to discipline Mumbaikars who love to honk needlessly even when the traffic signal is red.
A video clip released by the Mumbai police ahead of the introduction and activation of “punishing signals” at major traffic junctions in the metropolis like the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), Marine Drive, Pedder Road, Hindmata Cinema Dadar and Bandra, had gone viral on the social media then.
As part of the “Punishing signal” campaign, the city police had connected decibel monitors to traffic signals at major traffic junctions in the metropolis.
When the cacophony triggered by needless honking exceeds the dangerous sound level of 85-decibels, the signal timers get reset, entailing a double waiting time for all vehicles! And a “punishing” message 'Honk more, wait more', comes on the digital display board installed near the traffic junctions.
However, the “punishing signal” does not seem to have helped the traffic police in bringing down noise pollution caused by unnecessary honking by motorists across the metropolis.