Union Transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday, October 4, 2021, said he was planning to bring a law under which only the sound of Indian musical instruments can be used as a horn for vehicles.
Speaking at a highway inauguration ceremony here, Mr. Gadkari said he was also studying the sirens used by ambulances and police vehicles and replace them with a more pleasant tune played on the All India Radio.
Mr. Gadkari said he put an end to red beacons. “Now I want to put an end to these sirens as well. Now I am studying the sirens (used by) ambulances and police.
“An artist composed a tune of Akashwani (All Indian Radio) and it was played early in the morning. I am thinking of using that tune for ambulances so that people feel pleasant. It is so irritating, especially after Ministers pass by, the sirens are used at full volume. This also harms the ears.
“I am studying this and soon planning to make a law that the horns of all vehicles should be in Indian musical instruments so that it is pleasant to hear. Flute, tabla, violin, mouth organ, harmonium,” Mr. Gadkari said.
The Union minister said the new Mumbai-Delhi highway worth ₹1 lakh crore is already under construction, but it goes through Bhiwandi and reaches the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust — the periphery of Mumbai.
Mr. Gadkari said the Ministry is already building a highway on the Vasai creek. He said as the then PWD minister of Maharashtra, he could not link Bandra-Worli to Vasai-Virar.
“I plan to build a bridge in the sea and link it to the Bandra-Worli Sea Link and then it should take 12 hours (to cover the distance between) Nariman Point to Delhi. This will decongest the Western Express Highway,” Mr. Gadkari said.
He said 5 lakh accidents take place in India every year claiming the lives of 1.5 lakh people and lakhs are injured. We lose 3 per cent of our GDP due to accidents, he added.
Accidents rate
Accidents on the Mumbai-Pune highway have come down by 50 per cent. Tamil Nadu government has brought down accidents and deaths by 50 per cent, but in Maharashtra, similar success could not be achieved, he said.
Maharashtra has a high rate of people dying due to accidents, the Union Minister said.
Mr. Gadkari also said he had made six airbags compulsory for vehicles.
Speaking at a foundation stone laying programme, Mr. Gadkari said the present four-lane Nashik-Mumbai highway will be made of six lanes soon at an estimated cost of around ₹5,000 crore.
Mr. Gadkari dedicated to the nation various national highway projects in Nashik.
The demands for six-laning of the Mumbai-Nashik highway and a three-tier flyover from the Sarda Circle to Nashikroad were made by Nashik district guardian minister Chhagan Bhujbal.
“A double-decker two-lane flyover on Dwarka-Nashikroad stretch of the Nashik-Pune highway worth Rs 1,600 crore has been sanctioned. Nashik Metro will go from above this flyover. This project will provide a big relief to people travelling towards Pune. This flyover will solve the traffic congestion problem in the Dwarka area in Nashik city," Mr. Gadkari said.
He said the ground-breaking ceremony for the proposed 5.9-km flyover will be performed in the next six months and the project will be completed in two years.
"Surat-Solapur highway via Nashik will also boost development. Not a single assurance given by me will prove a lie,” Mr. Gadkari added.
“Nashik's climate is very nice and the environment here is still good. Now, development is ongoing in the city but the environment should be preserved while achieving this development,” he added.
