In an increasingly congested urban traffic scenario, the initiative was aimed at creating awareness around the serious issue of noise pollution and getting readers and the authorities to take action. On 15th Aug 2016, India’s 70th Independence Day, TOI decided to declare Independence from Honking by launching the No Honking Drive – an initiative aimed at saving our cities from the menace and making our roads more peaceful. The idea was to highlight the perils of unnecessary and excessive honking and prevent people from engaging in the same. Campaign was promoted across print, digital, radio, outdoor and TV. Impact:

• On 22nd Aug, Delhi Traffic Police declared one of the noisiest stretches in Delhi (ITO- Vikas Marg) as a “silent zone”.
• Traffic Police deployed teams at all junctions on this stretch to challan noticeable offenders. As an act of Gandhigiri, roses were handed out as a warning to others.
• The cabinet ministers (Road and Transport and Environment) sent out appeals on TV to people to stop honking unnecessarily.
• Roads outside some major hospitals were also declared as strictly silent zones. TOI along with the traffic police teams created awareness along these stretches with banners, interactions with offenders.
• No Honking Drive also won Global INMA Award for ‘Best Execution of Print Advertising’