Lead: On Sept. 6, 2025, in Mumbai and other Indian megacities drivers are increasingly replacing standard horns with louder “pom pom” air-pressure and bass-heavy horns, a shift residents and activists say is pushing traffic noise well above health guidelines and worsening chronic noise exposure.
Key Takeaways
- Drivers report standard horns are often insufficient in dense Indian traffic, fueling demand for louder aftermarket horns.
- A brief NPR observation recorded 27 honks in one minute at a busy Mumbai intersection; peak evening hours (5–8 p.m.) are the noisiest.
- A 2019 study found average urban noise in Mumbai frequently exceeds 80 decibels; WHO guidance recommends about 55 dB.
- Aftermarket “pom pom” air-pressure horns can reach about 120 dB, cost under $10, and are widely sold at Mumbai’s CST Road marketplace.
- Enforcement exists — fines up to roughly $25 for unreasonable honking — but police often prioritize traffic flow and pedestrian safety over noise citations.
- Vehiclemakers say horns in India are sometimes adapted for higher durability and audibility, but louder horns have not correlated with improved road safety.
- Public-health advocates urge stronger enforcement and civic education to address noise as a health issue.
Verified Facts
Local traffic officials and drivers told reporters that honking is an entrenched form of communication on Indian roads. A small, informal NPR count at a busy Mumbai intersection recorded 27 honks in one minute at about 3 p.m.; traffic personnel described heavy evening congestion from roughly 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. as particularly loud.
Scientific measurements and studies cited in coverage show typical daytime noise in parts of Mumbai often exceeds 80 decibels — comparable to loud household appliances — while the WHO guidance for community noise is around 55 decibels for daytime environments.
Horns sold at CST Road and similar auto bazaars fall into distinct types: flat-toned “titi” horns commonly fitted to two-wheelers and small cars, and high-pressure “pom pom” air horns used on SUVs, buses and by drivers seeking a sharper, longer signal. Vendors and long-time sellers report growing customer demand for the latter.
Market prices reported by vendors place many extra-loud horns below $10, and sellers note they can last a year or longer depending on use. The Hyundai Creta has been singled out by some drivers and reviewers for its particularly strong factory-fitted horn; aftermarket reviewers and buyer forums have also amplified interest in louder options.
Automakers contacted for comment acknowledged regional differences in horn use. One manufacturer said horns marketed for India are sometimes engineered with greater durability and presence to suit local driving practices. Separately, road-safety data show India records more than 150,000 road-traffic deaths annually, indicating louder horns have not solved broader safety challenges.
Context & Impact
Noise from horns mixes with construction, railway and street sounds in dense urban neighborhoods, making sustained exposure common. Activists and some police officers have linked repeated high-decibel exposure to sleep disruption and, in some cases, hearing damage among traffic personnel.
Enforcement mechanisms exist: traffic laws allow penalties for unnecessary or excessive honking. But officials say chaotic road conditions and the need to manage heavy pedestrian and vehicle flow often push noise enforcement down the list of operational priorities.
Public-health implications include elevated annoyance, disturbed sleep, and potential increased risk of hearing impairment for those with chronic exposure. Critics say tackling noise requires shifting social norms around horn use, better road design to reduce stoppages, and consistent enforcement.
Former policy proposals have included unconventional ideas — for example, replacing vehicle horns with softer musical tones — but such suggestions have drawn pushback from environmental and public-health advocates who say musical horns could simply add a different kind of pollution.
“When everyone’s honking, no one moves out of your way anyway,”
Sumaira Abdulali, Awaaz Foundation
Unconfirmed
- The one-minute count of 27 honks was an informal observation and not a scientific measurement.
- Individual claims that specific officers suffered permanent hearing loss from horn exposure are reported anecdotally and not verified with medical records in this report.
- The exact market share and annual sales numbers for aftermarket “pom pom” horns were not independently audited for this article.
Bottom Line
Louder aftermarket horns are becoming more common in Indian cities as drivers try to be heard in crowded streets, but the trend raises public-health and quality-of-life concerns. Experts point to enforcement, infrastructure improvements and public awareness as the most practical routes to reduce needless honking and its harms.