Horn OK Tata, Is not OK

Noise Pollution

As humans we have created things for our comfort and along with this progress, we have polluted the nature- air, water and even shattering our peace of mind through noise.


According to the Government of India, sound levels above 50dB and 40dB during the day and night are considered Noise Pollution.

Noise Pollution, also called Sound Pollution, is a prominent type of Environmental Pollution. In India unfortunately we don’t take it seriously for us a celebration is no celebration unless you make noise and make it ‘selleebaration’. So, you have a jumbo combo of crackers, band baja barat, dhol tasha and loud speakers to amplify the screaming. After all it is an auspicious occasion, you see. People have no respect for others and don’t bother about the discomfort caused to neighbours during loud parties they host.

The more the noise the happier you are supposed to be. Yet law is catching up fast with this and there are strict rules in place regarding at least the timings after which you are not allowed to display or dong your happiness in public and to the public.

Noise levels and sources

Any sound that creates discomfort to the recipient is termed Noise.

Noise as a potent menace is measured in terms of decibels (dB).

WHO (World Health Organization) has prescribed an optimum noise level of 45 dB during the day and 35 dB at night. Anything above 80 dB is hazardous.

Indiscriminate use of loudspeakers, industrial activities, automobiles, traffic, aeroplanes and activities such as those during religious, social and cultural functions.

In rural areas, farm machines and pump sets are the main sources of noise pollution. During festivals, marriages and many other occasions, the use of firecrackers contributes to noise pollution.

People exposed to noise levels reaching 110 dB may experience mental trauma, physical fatigue, deafness, hypertension and insomnia.

Prolonged exposure to noise for a day alone may lead to severe mental disorientation and, in a few cases, result in violent behaviour.

Honking on the road, a Major source that needs to be tackled

There are crores of vehicles in India and we are adding to this fleet very rapidly day on day. This is one area which has not been really regulated. Let me elucidate this problem and a simple solution.

Polite policy will be perennially paralyzed. We need strict dictates, you like it or not.

History of honking

The Benz car built in 1885 by the German engineer Karl Benz, is widely regarded as the first practical modern automobile and was the first car put into production. Lights and brakes were the first few safety measures without which it would not have been possible to drive safely.

Horns came in quick succession and were a way to alert others on the road- cars or pedestrians. This was not a toy but a useful gadget for safety. For instance, a lift or an elevator is to go from one floor to the other, but not for kids to take a joy ride all the time. Same goes for escalators in buildings or railway stations or malls

Perennial problem in some nations

You go to any western country and go for a drive or while crossing a road, you will never hear any one repeatedly blowing car, two-wheeler or even trucks horns. Every one drives in their appropriate lanes and comfortably negotiate traffic overtaking from the correct side when required. Life is peaceful on the road and for the people walking on the roadside corridors- foot paths. Some take pride in this habit and say ’honking in this country is like abusing’.

Yet road etiquettes are a part of larger culture of a nation. And honking is a major part of it. Though lane driving and road courtesy is an important part honking is a big pain especially in India.

For our Indian brethren it is different

Honking is a way of life- voila! It appears we love honking.

It reminds me of a song sung by Kishore Kumar ‘Hamain tumse pyar kitna ye hum nahi jantey – magar ji nahi sakte tumhare bina’.

We honk for the heck of it. And create a constant irritation to others if not pain. Some take this as a way to say ‘hello’ to others- O hello?


Numbers are massive


We are a nation of 1.45 billion progressive, inspiring people. Car loans have made things easier for a middle-class person to buy a vehicle. Trucks are adding every day to transport fleet as a nation with booming economy needs to have strong logistical back none.

If we look at two big metros it will be clear as to how many wheels are on your heels.

As of January 2024, the total number of registered vehicles in Delhi was 1.2 crore, including 33.8 lakh private cars.
Bangalore city has 99.8 lakh such vehicles, which of these, 75.6 lakh are two-wheelers and 23.1 lakh cars registered as personal vehicles. Now more than 1,300 new bikes and scooters and 409 cars hit the road every day, on average.
In a country with the third-largest road network in the world, the total number of vehicles in India in year 2022 stood at 354 million. Or 35 crores.



According to available data, a driver in India can honk their car horn hundreds of times a day, with some estimates suggesting an average of several honks per minute during peak traffic hours, particularly in cities like Mumbai, due to the prevalent "honking culture" on Indian roads; with some drivers honking almost constantly throughout their commute.

The intensity of a car horn's sound is crucial for ensuring that it can be heard by other motorists and pedestrians, especially in noisy environments or emergency situations. Studies have shown that a louder car horn can help prevent accidents and reduce response times in emergency situations. In fact, research has indicated that increasing the sound level of a car horn by just 5 dB can make it 3 times more likely to be heard by other drivers.

Most car horns come with a wattage between 15-25 watts

The sound produced by car horns is measured in decibels (dB), which is a unit of measurement for the intensity of sound. A typical car horn emits a sound level that can range from 100 to 110 dB, which is equivalent to the noise level of a chainsaw or a jackhammer.

A way out- horn rationing

Just imagine the ambient noise contribution to the environment by 40 crore vehicles honking simultaneously – that may never happen- but technically in a day 40 crore horns contribute to a lot of noise. Assuming just 100 honks a day for a vehicle amounts to 4000 crore honks! The numbers are crazy. If you cut it by half the number is 2000 crore honks a day. Every whisper counts!

Voila- the answer to the problem lies in ‘lesser numbers of honks a day by every vehicle’.

Almost 50 years back a new car was fitted with a governor so that you do not drive a car faster than the stipulated speed during ‘running in period’. However much you press the gas paddle it will not go beyond say 50 miles an hour due to the governor!

Why can’t we have a governor type of arrangement for horns? You have a ‘ration limit’ of 10 horns a day. So you bring honking from 4000 crore honks to only 400 crore honks. Every time you honk an indicator tells you your balance of honks left for the day on the dash board. Coupled with the ‘control’ on the wattage and Db levels for the horns the noise can be brought down to a highly saner limit. Once people get used to it they get ‘de- addicted’ of honking for the heck of it – HFTHI.

Very cleverly traffic police have now installed a counter on the traffic lights. For a stop of 50 seconds, it gets reduced by one number every second- people know that they need to wait till it goes to zero.

’60 crore whispers together become a ROAR’

The government can bring a law for this. Numbers can be decided by experts but concept can work. In India, it is difficult to implement new ideas but are not impossible. Seat belts was a difficult task but with time we got used to it- so are helmets on two wheelers. We need to use a sledgehammer to get it going.