No honking in residential areas between 10 pm and 6am: NGT directs Rajasthan government

To end the menace of noise pollution, including horns in vehicles, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Rajasthan government to enforce “no honking” in residential areas between 10 pm and 6am, barring exceptional circumstances.

The Central Bench of the NGT headed by Justice Sheo Kumar Singh also directed the government to seize any source of noise pollution beyond permissible limits.

"The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has also issued scale of compensation to be recovered for violation of Noise Pollution Regulation And Control Rules, 2000 which was published in June, 2020 and October, 2019 and we direct that the state authorities must follow the guidelines issued by the CPCB and ensure the compliance of Motor Vehicle Act and the regulations to control the noise pollution in accordance with law and to take stringent action against the violators of law," the NGT said.

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While hearing a petition filed by Consumer Unity and Trust Society (CUTS), a NGO with the plea to check on noise pollution caused by vehicles, the Green Bench said, "The state can also mandate car manufacturers to design horns and car cabins in such a way that a portion of the sound generated through honking is channelled towards driver too. This will raise emotional cost to use a horn on a driver."

" The state can mandate Motor Vehicle manufacturers to program horns in such a way that for every honking action longer than 3 seconds, there should be a beeper in the car that activates. The driver who honked must press a button to shut it off. This action will cause deterrence and consciousness in drivers regarding their horn use," the order said.

The Rules notified by the CPCB specifies that “no horn shall be used in silence zones or during night time in residential areas except during a public emergency” and the night time has been defined as 10pm to 6 am.