Union Transport minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday 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 Akashvani (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 Rs 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 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.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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