Sajag Nagrik Manch has urged Navi Mumbai traffic police to curb unnecessary ambulance siren use and take action against vehicles with modified or removed silencers, especially at night. It sought targeted 10pm-6am checks, CCTV-assisted enforcement, physical verification of suspected violations and periodic publication of action taken to address vehicular noise pollution.

Navi Mumbai Group Urges Traffic Police To Crack Down On Unnecessary Ambulance Sirens, Modified Silencers | Representative Image

Navi Mumbai: Seeking stricter enforcement against vehicular noise pollution, the Sajag Nagrik Manch has urged the Navi Mumbai traffic police to curb the alleged unnecessary use of ambulance sirens and take action against two- and four-wheelers fitted with modified or removed silencers, particularly during late-night hours.

The civic group submitted a representation to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dr Rahul Khade on September 30, stating that excessive vehicular noise should not be viewed only as a traffic-management issue but also as a concern affecting residents' health, quality of life and sleep.

The representation refers to complaints from residents across Navi Mumbai about loud vehicle noise at night. It specifically highlights the use of ambulance sirens on relatively empty roads, while acknowledging that residents may not be aware of the medical condition of a patient or the urgency of a particular ambulance journey.

The Manch cited Bhau Sakharam Marg in Belapur, where, according to a complaint mentioned in its representation, ambulance sirens are frequently heard between midnight and 5am despite relatively light traffic. It sought an administrative review of the issue without prejudging the urgency of individual ambulance movements.

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The group has also raised concerns over vehicles whose original silencers have allegedly been removed, modified or tampered with to produce excessive exhaust noise. It said such vehicles are particularly disruptive in residential areas during the night.

The Manch has sought regular checks of such vehicles and action under applicable provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and Central Motor Vehicle Rules wherever violations of prescribed vehicle or noise standards are established. It has also proposed targeted enforcement drives between 10pm and 6am in residential areas, near railway bridges, hospitals and other locations identified as vulnerable to night-time noise.

The civic group has suggested using Navi Mumbai's existing CCTV network and Integrated Command and Control Centre infrastructure to assist enforcement against vehicles suspected of violating vehicle and noise-related regulations.

However, it has cautioned that CCTV footage should not by itself be treated as conclusive proof of a noise violation. Instead, vehicle registration numbers identified through surveillance could be forwarded to traffic personnel or mobile enforcement teams for physical inspection and verification, with action taken on the basis of legally admissible evidence, it said.

The Manch has also sought periodic drives against vehicles with unauthorised silencer modifications and better coordination between traffic police and local police stations in areas receiving repeated complaints.

It has further urged the traffic police to periodically publish enforcement data, including the number of vehicles checked, violations detected, penalties imposed and vehicles inspected or seized wherever legally applicable. The group has also sought written information on the action taken on its representation.

“Our objective is not to inconvenience ambulance services or motorists, but to maintain a balance between the need for emergency vehicles to reach hospitals quickly and the need to prevent avoidable disturbance to residents when there is no corresponding emergency requirement,” said Dilip Vaidya, member of Sajag Nagrik Manch, Navi Mumbai.

“Noise pollution has become a serious concern, and for many Navi Mumbai residents a peaceful night's sleep is increasingly difficult. The police should strictly discourage ambulance drivers from using sirens unnecessarily. At the same time, motorists who remove silencers or deliberately create excessive noise merely to draw attention to their vehicles should face prompt action under the law,” he said.

A copy of the representation was also submitted to Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe.

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