Nashik, Minister of Transport of the Union Nitin Gadkari on Monday, he said he plans to introduce a law that only the sound of Indian musical instruments can be used as a vehicle horn.
Speaking at a highway opening ceremony here, Gadkari said he was also studying the sirens used by ambulances and police vehicles and replacing them with a more pleasant tune played on All India radio.
Gadkari said he had put an end to the red beacons. “Now I want to put an end to these sirens as well. Now I’m studying the sirens (used by) ambulances and the police.”
“An artist composed a tune by Akashwani (All Indian Radio) and it was released early in the morning. I’m thinking of using this ambulance tune to make people feel good. It’s so annoying, especially after ministers pass, the sirens are used in full. It also hurts the ears.
“I am studying this and I plan to make a law soon that all horns on all vehicles must be in Indian musical instruments so that it is pleasant to hear. Flute, backgammon, violin, mouth organ, harmonium,” Gadkari said.
The union minister said the new Mumbai-Delhi highway worth 1 trillion rupees is already under construction, but passes through Bhiwandi and reaches the port of Jawaharlal Nehru, the outskirts of Mumbai.
Gadkari said the ministry is already building a highway along the Vasai River. He said that as the then Minister of Disabilities in Maharashtra, he could not connect Bandra-Worli with Vasai-Virar.
“I plan to build a bridge over the sea and connect it to the Bandra-Worli sea link, and then it will take 12 hours (to cover the distance between) Nariman Point to Delhi. That will unload the Western Express highway, “Gadkari said.
He said that 50,000 accidents occur in India every year, killing 1,500,000 people and injuring them. We are losing 3% of our GDP due to accidents, he added.
Accidents on the Mumbai-Puna highway have dropped by 50 percent. The Tamil Nadu government has reduced accidents and deaths by 50 percent, but in Maharashtra such success cannot be achieved, he said.
Maharashtra has a high death rate as a result of accidents, the union minister said.
Gadkari also said he had made six airbags mandatory for vehicles.
Speaking about the foundation stone laying program, Gadkari said the current four-lane Nashik-Mumbai highway would soon be made of six lanes at an approximate cost of about Rs 5,000 crore.
Gadkari dedicated to the nation various national highway projects in Nashik.
Requests for six lanes on the Mumbai-Nashik highway and a three-story overpass from Sarda to Nashikroud were made by Nashik District Guardians Minister Chagan Bhujbal.
“A two-storey two-lane overpass on the Dvarka-Nashikroud section of the Nashik-Puna highway worth 1,600 kroner has been sanctioned. The Nashik metro will pass over this overpass. This project will provide great relief to people traveling to Pune. This overpass will solve the problem of congestion in the Dvarka area in the town of Nashik, “Gadkari said.
He said the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed 5.9km overpass would take place over the next six months and the project would be completed in two years.
“The Surat-Solapur highway through Nashik will also boost development. No assurance given by me will be a lie,” Gadkari added.
“The climate in Nashik is very pleasant and the environment here is still good. Now the city continues to develop, but the environment must be preserved until that development is achieved,” he added.
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