Ranchi, Sept. 16: In a bid to crack down on drivers using shrill car horns, Ranchi traffic police has sent urgent requisitions for sound meters to the home department.

“Depending on the type of four wheelers, the maximum permissible sound limit for car horns is 80 to 85 decibels. However, the ear-splitting car horns that blare away across the city range between 100 and 250 decibels,” said Ranchi traffic superintendent of police Daddanjee Sharma.

The operation comes in the wake of the success notched up by the traffic police in rooting out cars using black films to cover their window and back screens. Sharma said an action plan was being worked out for a crackdown on shrill car horns.

Apart from adding to the growing noise pollution in the city, excessive honking of shrill electric horns startles pedestrians and other drivers on the roads. They might lose control leading to accidents. Moreover, there are cars that alter their original silencers to produce varied and shrill sounds, he said.

“We have requisitioned sound level meters to gauge the exact decibel level of each car horn and detect violation. Since we might be faced with hostile clients, these gadgets would be useful in pinpointing the offender,” said Sharma.

He pointed out that once the traffic police is equipped with those gadgets, teams would be formed which would pull apart all shrill horns from individual vehicles. The operation would be on the lines of the drive against dark films on car windows.

The traffic police would explain, through mass awareness campaigns that a sudden and a shrill horn may cause irritation, raise blood pressure levels and cause other problems.

“The idea is to first educate the public, make them ready for the change and impress upon them to replace their shrill car horns voluntarily. Using force would be the last resort,” Sharma stressed.

When it was pointed out that the worst offenders are the cars belonging to ministers, state government department and even central government undertakings, Sharma pointed out that in all such cases, letters would be written to the heads of departments asking them to replace their shrill car horns voluntarily.