Delhi bans pressure horns, modified silencers, excess honking to curb noise pollution

Twitter users lauded the initiative and also gave suggestions to the Delhi Traffic Police regarding other issues such as modified headlights, high beam, loud music, among others.

The Delhi Traffic Police on Saturday said it had started a special drive to penalise anyone who used pressure horns and modified silencers in their vehicles, a move welcomed by many Twitter users commuting across the national capital. The campaign has been initiated to educate people about noise pollution and hold accountable those who exploit it.

Delhi Traffic Police started an initiative to curb noise pollution. (Indranil Mukherjee / AFP)

Taking to Twitter, Delhi Police informed people about the new drive. "Starting today, #DelhiTrafficPolice shall be penalising those who use pressure horns and modified silencers in their vehicles," it tweeted with the hashtag ‘#DelhiMeinShorNahi’.

"Challans will be issued to those found creating noise pollution by violating the norms and using pressure horns or modified silencers," a senior police officer told news agency ANI, adding the focus on such violations has now been increased.

"We will interview doctors and ask them about the ill-effects of noise pollution. We will air the interviews to educate people so that they would stop using modified silencers and pressure horns," another officer said.

Twitter users lauded the initiative and also gave suggestions to the Delhi Traffic Police regarding other issues such as modified headlights, high beam, loud music, among others.

“Pls do same for modified Headlights and high beam usage,” wrote one user.

Another user said, “Good. Please conduct a drive against those who rides on footpaths and also those who ride/drive wrong side.”

“Also banned HIGH VOLUME of Music with Drum Beats Speaker. This distract fellow drivers concentration which might results in accidents,” commented another user.

The Delhi government has also started working on its plans to tackle the horrific air pollution the capital faces every year around Diwali, in the months of October and November.

Last month, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) governments in Delhi and Punjab announced plans to provide cash incentives to farmers to not burn stubble, while requesting the Centre to share the cost for the same.

"The plan is that the Centre should bear 50 per cent of the cost and Punjab and Delhi will contribute 25 per cent each,” a senior Punjab government official said. “Delhi will share the cost since smoke from farm fires impact air quality in the national capital," he added.

Paddy straw burning in Punjab, Delhi and Haryana, and parts of Uttar Pradesh is among the biggest reasons behind the alarming spike in air pollution levels in the national capital. Punjab generates around 20 million tons of paddy straw annually.