LOUDEST CITY IN INDIA
Back in 2011, a study by the Centre of Science and Environment (CSE) has confirmed that New Delhi is the loudest city in India. The level of noise in the streets can go above 100 decibels, which is several times louder than Singapore. The noise level has reached dangerous levels, beyond the recommended guidelines of 50-55 decibels for residential zones. Prolonged exposure to this level of noise has resulted in the increase of risk in hearing loss for the citizens. According to studies, the average age of citizens in New Delhi are 10 years older in terms of hearing, which means they are at greater risk of losing their hearing in their 50s or early 60s.
A picture of a rush-hour traffic jam in the city of Delhi
The loud noise is often generated by the honking of cars, which means changes in attitude and behavior can reduce the main source of the noise. However, this is a hurdle as the habit of honking is ingrained into their daily routine. The streets of New Dehli are shared by vehicles, people, cyclists and more. Traffic is very heavy and the use of honk is essential to alert people walking on the street of an oncoming vehicle. As this concerns personal safety, the honking behavior will be a strong internal barrier as the drivers cannot simply stop honking.