The Road to Reduced Noise Pollution

Mumbai's "punishing signal" may be the answer to better driving capability, and in the long run, greatly reduced noise pollution in traffic congested cities and towns in India. Let us not write off a brilliant initiative to impact disciplined road traffic, and civic discipline, just yet.

In February 2020, while the country slowly began to reel under the impact of COVID-19, there was another test initiative that was underway in the densely-populated commercial city of Mumbai, one of the most congested cities in India. Popularly known as the "punishing signal", the Mumbai Traffic test drive to contain noise pollution was underway. With the fundamental premise of "honk more, wait more", the drive showcased the impatience of the people on the road.

In an ideal situation, or perhaps there is way too much idealism in this, but one not without hope, what would happen if a few initiatives were enforced by the Traffic Police? If we give this a little more thought, and implement certain progressive initiatives we could well have better road safety, a quieter city and clear the air greatly of noise pollution.

Picture the scenario of what we are assailed with today; stress, noise, road rage, flouting of traffic rules and essential chaos on the roads. Every driver is stressed with someone else's impatient need to rush. It does not matter what speed limit is assigned and the signs that constantly state "no honking", impatient people do it just the same. Once the driver behind a vehicle starts honking, the pressure is built subconsciously on the driver in the front to react and push forward, sometimes into a higher speed, at times not waiting for the light to turn green, worse still being honk-shamed because one chose to slow down and stop when the orange lights were transiting to red.

The stress persists and doubles by the time the seconds reduce for the light to turn green. The honking has not stopped and the driver chooses to believe the driver in front of them are colour blind, cannot read and have no right being on the road as they have not adapted to the rushed way of driving in towns and cities that has no time to stop and wait in patience. The road rage and altercations that lead to further issues was showcased when recently, near Arjangarh, Delhi, a Scorpio driver in rage, after driving recklessly, deliberately hit a biker.

Let's visualise this. What happens if the decibel meter became a mandatory fixture on every traffic junction with a lane absolutely free for ambulances. No honking. No sirens. Fines imposed on breaking lanes (which is a penalty regulation already) at traffic junctions. What could be the next steps?

Next step - impose silent hour every day and increasing it to two hours after a month and maintain it. Everyone who flouts it on the move, has to deposit their vehicles with the Traffic Police for a month; no fines, no challans, simply a mandatory locking up of the vehicle. Without using the horn, to manoeuvre safely, people would have to stick to their lanes, drive at a safe distance and actually use their lights, traffic indicators, side view mirrors, rear view mirrors and pay attention of the road. (Ambulance sirens are the only things permitted to be used on ambulance only.)Accidents happen on the road because the person in front is pressurised by the one behind to skip a light, switch a lane without warning, drive unsafe and the same goes for everybody.

Accidents also happen when people use phones in the vehicles while driving. When one has to make do without honking, better attention on the road is required. Currently, most of us honk persistently and then overtake a driver who is using the phone while driving. If we continue to do things in the same manner as we have done before but now under different rules, the results are bound to change. Am I being too hopeful?

How does this benefit us, one might ask? Imagine this - lesser noise, lesser stress, lesser road rage, lesser fuel waste, being more attentive on the road, more time to regroup yourself because you are going to keep the noise down which gives you the space to look within.

There is so much potential to do this and add to it. I am not thinking complex stuff. if everyone contributed by voluntary participation, this is doable and we would only be making it a better space to live in. It is all interrelated and one action could lead to a domino effect. Why reject this until we have really tried it out. No complexity. Why keep blaming the government? When will you rise to the occasion and show how it can be done? You think you can do it? What else can be done? I'd love to hear about that. Become a part of the solution. Share your opinion on [email protected] and let's keep this conversation going in a follow-up article as well.

? Sandhya Suri

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