Fines Alone Cannot Curb Noise Pollution, Nagpur Bench Tells Traffic Police The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has ruled that fines alone are insufficient to address the persistent issue of noise pollution caused by vehicles, directing traffic police to implement more effective preventive measures. The court’s directive came during a hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Bhupendra Wasnik, alongside suo motu proceedings initiated by the court on the matter. The bench emphasized the need for proactive strategies to curb excessive noise rather than relying solely on penalties after violations occur. The court’s observations followed a submission by traffic police detailing enforcement actions taken over the past two-and-a-half years. According to the police affidavit, measures were taken against vehicles equipped with unauthorized modified silencers, particularly motorcycles such as Bullets, as well as those using horns excessively or at inappropriate volumes. In 2025, authorities seized 440 modified silencers, which were dismantled with the help of mechanics where necessary. The vehicles were restored to their original configurations, and the seized silencers were destroyed to prevent reuse. Between 2024 and July 2026, traffic police recorded 1,515 enforcement actions for noise-related violations, resulting in fines totaling ₹10.27 lakh. The breakdown of these fines showed that in 2024, 568 actions generated ₹3.46 lakh in penalties, while 693 actions in 2025 yielded ₹5.28 lakh. Up to July 2026, 255 actions led to ₹1.53 lakh in fines. However, the court noted that the scale of enforcement should not be measured merely by the number of cases or the amount collected.#bombay_high_court #nagpur_bench #traffic_police #bhupendra_wasnik #whatsapp_helpline
