1,804 motorists fined on first day of 'No Honking Drive'

The city's traffic police, which is conducting a 10-day long 'No Honking Drive', on Thursday fined 1,804 motorists for unnecessarily honking while driving on the city streets on the first day.
    
"We have fined 1,804 motorists today for honking without any genuine reason in the silence zone near schools, colleges, hospitals and courts," deputy commissioner of police (Traffic) Harish Baijal said.
    
"Offenders include some motorists who were in a hurry to go to their destination and honked the vehicle's horns soon
after the signal turned green," Baijal said.

After the success of its drunken driving campaign in the metropolis, the traffic police launched 'No Honking Drive' with an aim to prevent motorists honking unnecessarily and reduce noise pollution in the city.
    
"Anything between Rs 100 to Rs 500 has been fined. However, our intention is not to collect fine but to develop a habit of no honking among the motorists," Baijal said adding that, "the number of offenders may increase in the coming days."

Street plays raising awareness about the adverse effects of noise pollution were also enacted at various junctions.
    
Last year 'No Honking Day' had been observed on April 7. Everyday about 17 lakh vehicles ply on the city roads, police
said.