Not just commuters, even students and patients put up with blaring horns

The Times of India , Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Correspondent :
Bengaluru: Mavis Fernandes who was drawn to Cubbon Park's serenity has stopped visiting the lung space. "I would meditate and practise yoga almost every day. But I couldn't concentrate, especially during complicated postures, because of the constant honking of cars plying on the road running through the park. It really put me off," rued Fernandes, 35.

Bengaluru's traffic is a nightmare, with snarls being the norm during peak hours. But apart from the delay caused to commuters, the congestion comes with another downside - noise pollution. Choked junctions and gridlocked flyovers are also noise pollution zones. Silk Board Junction, Sony World Junction in Koramangala and Jayadeva flyover cater to lakhs of vehicles every day. They also have Twitter handles dedicated to them by commuters who struggle to get to work daily.

The Twitter handler of Silk Board Junction was stranded in traffic when he spoke to TOI. "There are three factors that contribute to noise pollution - impatient drivers who honk even though they can see vehicles aren't moving, bus conductors shouting 'SARJAPURAGARAECOSPACEINTELKADUBEESANAHALLI', and people in my car pool group who are perpetually late and explain the reason to everyone loudly over the phone," he said.

Techie Sarvesh K gets his share of noise every day in the BMTC bus he boards to his workplace in Electronics City. "I plug in my earphones to avoid the honking and the sound made by the rickety bus. But my ears hurt," he said. Sarvesh, 26. When the pain lingered, he was forced to to visit an ENT (ear nose throat) doctor, who told him to stop listening to music for a while. "I have started looking for an accommodation in Electronics City itself," said a frustrated Sarvesh.

It's not just commuters who are at the receiving end. Schoolchildren and people visiting places of worship and hospitals are among the worst hit. St Patrick's Church, located in the heart of the city, has two traffic signals on either side. "The honking is unbearable during peak hours. We have no choice but to keep the windows closed. The traffic has grown but the roads remain the same," lamented Fr Francis Chinnappa from St Patrick's Church.

He added, "We are affected by both noise and air pollution. Sadly, the problem will only get worse. After it was taken up for TenderSure work, the road has only become narrower".

The situation is no better near temples and mosques. Sunitha Narayan, resident of Old Airport Road, visits Chokkanathaswamy Temple in Domlur every Sunday. "I love spending time there but the sound of cars and bikes coming to a screeching halt and users abusing one another is a major spoiler. It's better to meditate in my pooja room at home," she said.

Even schools like St Patrick's, Bishop Cotton, St Joseph's and Baldwin can't escape the hustle and bustle. "The bus journey from home to school is terrible. Though the school's location makes it easily accessible, the noise from outside can be very distracting to students in the classrooms facing the main road," said Sharon L, a class 8 student.

Consultant psychologist Subhadra Gupta said, "Noise generated by traffic is stressful for students. Though children grow accustomed to the noise around them and virtually become a part of it, it brings down performance levels."

Needed: Awareness, regulations

Noise pollution is not healthy for both patients and doctors. Fortunately, not much noise makes its way through because of the air conditioning. Boards in and around the hospital request people to maintain silence and not to talk loudly on their phones. However, people even honk inside the premises as if they are in a market. Spreading awareness and imposing regulations can help curb noise pollution

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/Not-just-commuters-even-students-and-patients-put-up-with-blaring-horns/articleshow/53293762.cms
 


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