Mumbai Entrepreneur Launches ‘Quiet India’ To Combat Noise Pollution As Public Health & Economic Threat
Mumbai Social Entrepreneur Launches Quiet India: The Nation’s First Large-Scale Movement to Tackle Noise Pollution
Mumbai-based social entrepreneur Savitha Rao has launched Quiet India, the country’s first large-scale national movement aimed at addressing noise as a serious public health and economic concern. This pioneering initiative seeks to reframe silence not as mere absence of sound, but as an essential foundation for health, dignity, and national development.
### Citizen-Led Movement for National Impact
Rao, widely recognized for her earlier civic initiative India Positive Citizen—which promoted grassroots participation in nation-building—explains that Quiet India aspires to unite fragmented efforts across the country into a cohesive and powerful movement.
Unlike previous campaigns focused on specific festivals, neighbourhoods, or isolated noise sources, Quiet India adopts a holistic approach. It brings together citizens, health professionals, urban planners, law enforcement agencies, and policymakers to confront noise pollution as both a public health emergency and an economic liability.
### Alarming Noise Levels in Urban India
According to Quiet India, noise levels in urban centres such as Mumbai have reached alarming heights. By the end of 2023, Mumbai was home to approximately 4.6 million vehicles, generating millions of honks every day. In many parts of the city, noise frequently exceeds the World Health Organization’s recommended limits—55 decibels during the day and 40 decibels at night.
Speaking to *The Free Press Journal*, Rao remarked, “Noise is the pollution we have normalised. Quiet India is about making silence our right, not our luxury. It is about reclaiming silence as a shared inheritance, and building a soundscape worthy of the India we aspire to be.”
### Health Consequences of Noise Pollution
Medical experts warn that prolonged exposure to high decibel levels is linked to elevated stress hormones, high blood pressure, heart disease, and cognitive impairments.
“Silence is nourishment. Without it, the body cannot heal, the mind cannot focus, and immunity is weakened. A calm soundscape is as critical as clean water or nutritious food. The sound of stillness brings bliss and wellness,” said Dr. Mickey Mehta, a wellness expert and advisory panel member of Quiet India.
### Enforcement and Citizen Responsibility
Traffic authorities in Mumbai acknowledge the challenge but highlight enforcement limitations.
“We penalise offenders and run awareness drives, but no amount of enforcement can succeed unless citizens themselves reduce needless honking. Road discipline is as much about culture as compliance,” explained Prashant Pardeshi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) for Mumbai South.
### Economic Implications of Noise Pollution
Quiet India’s campaign extends beyond improving quality of life to enhancing India’s global competitiveness. The movement underscores that excessive noise lowers urban livability, deters foreign investment, and reduces workforce productivity—factors that could undermine Mumbai’s aspirations as a global financial hub.
“Noise pollution directly impacts India’s economic growth. A quieter Mumbai is better for its citizens, and it makes the city more attractive for investors, businesses, and global talent,” said Sandeep Bajoria, Chairman of Quiet India’s advisory board.
### Multi-Pronged Solutions for a Quieter India
Quiet India promotes an array of solutions, combining technological innovation with citizen action. Key focus areas include:
– Changing behaviour to reduce habitual honking
– Limiting use of loudspeakers
– Respecting designated quiet zones
– Advocating stricter regulations on construction noise
– Encouraging modified vehicle exhaust systems
– Minimizing night-time disturbances
– Installing noise barriers and strategic urban zoning
– Increasing green spaces to absorb sound
The initiative has also influenced tools like Google’s experimental ‘noise ratings’ for restaurants—introduced following Rao’s suggestion—to help make quietness a valued metric in public spaces.
### Noise and Accessibility
Social leader Raju Waghmare, who is visually impaired, emphasizes that noise pollution affects dignity and independence.
“The blind depend on auditory cues to navigate the city. Unnecessary honking and noise drown out those signals. Noise doesn’t just hurt, it takes away independence,” he explained.
### Research and Publications
Rao’s latest book, *Noise in Our Nation*, delves into the hidden costs of unchecked noise on health, education, the environment, and the economy. The book offers practical recommendations for stakeholders at every level to tackle noise pollution effectively.
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For more information about the movement and how to get involved, visit the official Quiet India website: [https://quietindia.in/](https://quietindia.in/)
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-entrepreneur-launches-quiet-india-to-combat-noise-pollution-as-public-health-economic-threat
