AHMEDABAD: It is a traffic signal with a two-minute cycle in Ahmedabad, but as the countdown reaches 10 seconds, there is an auditory assault on road users with a blast of honks erupting. This could be any major crossroads, as the scenario is more or less the same, found an exploratory study to assess honking levels in the city carried out by The Times of India.
The study revealed that if an Amdavadi spends an average of five minutes at a crossroads such as the one at Ellisbridge, he/she will encounter a maximum sound level of 104.2 decibels (dB) and an average of 80dB. In this period, one will hear 30 to 40 separate honks. The primary observation was that the honking is the worst when the countdown clock is close to the opening of the signal and immediately after it opens.
The problem does not exist only at crossroads, even notified silent zones such as the one around VS Hospital are not immune. “As we are right next to a major road, the honking is incessant. It certainly affects patients in the hospital. We have made several representations to the authorities about this,” said Dr Ahmed Hussain, a resident doctor at VS.
Traffic police personnel at the crossroads bear the brunt of this auditory onslaught. “Everyone is in a hurry and even when someone is driving at a reasonable speed, the vehicle behind has to honk. It is a nuisance and the constant exposure certainly has physical and psychological implications,” said Jigar Jangid, a constable with A division traffic police.
Dr Rajesh Vishwakarma, head of the ENT department at BJ Medical College, said that noise-induced damage to the hair cells in the ear is permanent in nature. “It’s not advisable to be exposed to high-decibel noise for prolonged periods. While traffic noise and honking doesn’t necessarily lead to hearing loss, it certainly causes irritation,” he said, adding that a team from the college had carried out a study on the hearing of traffic cops a few years ago.
“Evenings are the most severe. If you do not move as soon as the signal turns green, there is a blast of honking, sometimes mixed with shouting,” said Swapnil Anand, a commuter on SG Road.
The study revealed that if an Amdavadi spends an average of five minutes at a crossroads such as the one at Ellisbridge, he/she will encounter a maximum sound level of 104.2 decibels (dB) and an average of 80dB. In this period, one will hear 30 to 40 separate honks. The primary observation was that the honking is the worst when the countdown clock is close to the opening of the signal and immediately after it opens.
The problem does not exist only at crossroads, even notified silent zones such as the one around VS Hospital are not immune. “As we are right next to a major road, the honking is incessant. It certainly affects patients in the hospital. We have made several representations to the authorities about this,” said Dr Ahmed Hussain, a resident doctor at VS.
Traffic police personnel at the crossroads bear the brunt of this auditory onslaught. “Everyone is in a hurry and even when someone is driving at a reasonable speed, the vehicle behind has to honk. It is a nuisance and the constant exposure certainly has physical and psychological implications,” said Jigar Jangid, a constable with A division traffic police.
Dr Rajesh Vishwakarma, head of the ENT department at BJ Medical College, said that noise-induced damage to the hair cells in the ear is permanent in nature. “It’s not advisable to be exposed to high-decibel noise for prolonged periods. While traffic noise and honking doesn’t necessarily lead to hearing loss, it certainly causes irritation,” he said, adding that a team from the college had carried out a study on the hearing of traffic cops a few years ago.
“Evenings are the most severe. If you do not move as soon as the signal turns green, there is a blast of honking, sometimes mixed with shouting,” said Swapnil Anand, a commuter on SG Road.
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