Chennai police initiate ‘no honking’ awareness campaign

CHENNAI: City police commissioner, Shankar Jiwal on Monday inaugurated the ‘no honking’ awareness campaign of the city police, which is to continue for a week. In the coming months, the Commissioner said, enforcement will also begin after police procures the noise meters prescribed by the pollution control board to assess the allowed and appropriate decibel levels near hospitals, schools and other places.

“This is an initiative to create awareness among motorists and vehicle users to reduce noise pollution. We have also planned several activities like painting competitions, skits and slogan writing competitions among school students, ” Commissioner Jiwal said.

A city-wide signature campaign will also be held. Police said that children from ‘Road safety patrol’ will hold placards with awareness messages and march in important traffic junctions in Chennai.

Commissioner Jiwal said that they will also be co-ordinating with Chennai Corporation to use the digital variable message service (VMS) boards, they have installed across the city for creating awareness messages about honking.

“In several countries, honking is not part of the driving culture. Enforcement will be later, but for a start, we want to create awareness, ” said a senior police officer.

Apart from honking, police will also be focusing on loud silencers installed in motorbikes as part of their noise pollution enforcement.