Gurugram drivers, residents say traffic loudspeakers are a ‘menace’

Drivers have complained that they are distracted by the noise resulting in accidents, while residents living in the vicinity of speakers are equally perturbed by them.

The Gurugram’s traffic police’s new initiative of installing loudspeakers to give live traffic updates at some of the major junctions in the city, has come under flak from commuters and residents alike.

Gurugram traffic police have installed the loudspeakers to give traffic updates and alert motorists. (HT PHOTO)

While drivers have complained that they are distracted by the noise resulting in accidents, residents living in the vicinity of thoroughfares, where such speakers are installed, are equally perturbed by them .

On August 20, the Gurugram traffic police installed loud-speakers on a trial basis at the crossing of the Huda City Centre Metro station and at the dividing road between sectors 27 and 42, to give live traffic updates and alert motorists who violate traffic rules.

Since then, several such speakers have been installed at various other junctions across the city, including Bakhtawar Chowk, Khushboo Chowk, Faridabad More, Sushant Lok Phase-1 and Rajiv Chowk, among others.

Commuters travelling via Bakhtawar Chowk say they have often been distracted by the blaring noise coming from the speakers. Anand Rungta, a resident of Sector 47, said, “I have personally come across an instance where an announcement from a speaker left a driver confused. A scooter driver was crossing the junction that coincided with the announcement of a traffic update. As a result, the driver automatically turned his attention towards the source of the sound that led his vehicle accidentally hitting the road divider. Another time, the announcement was so loud that I could barely hear the horn of a car that was trying to overtake mine. As a result, I had to change lanes at the last moment to avoid collision.”

One such speaker at Sushant Lok Phase-1 has been installed fairly close to the residential part of the area, leaving residents fuming over the growing noise pollution.

“The speakers are extremely annoying. They add to the noise pollution in the city at a time when we should be trying to do everything we can to curb it. We want the traffic police to take notice of our plight,” said Namratha Asthana, a resident of Sushant Lok Phase-1.

Road safety experts were also critical of the initiative.

“It is a well-known fact that public announcements in any capacity distract drivers, especially those on two-wheelers. Hence, in various road safety meetings, experts speak critically of the distraction caused by
loudspeakers, such as those used during election campaigns. I am surprised that the traffic police have not taken into account this negative aspect of the loudspeakers. They seriously need to rethink their decision,” said Sarika Panda Bhatt, programme coordinator of Haryana Vision Zero.

Hitesh Yadav, assistant commissioner of police (traffic), did not respond to the texts and calls for comment on the matter.