There have been many initiatives to help people in the City become more sensitive towards their surroundings, be it in the form of the community car pooling project, 'Bus Day' or even 'No Honking Day'.
Out of many such initiatives, only a few of them have been a success, others simply fizzle out. This raises an important question — how many Bangaloreans actually make the effort to follow these initiatives? And do they really make a difference?
When the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) launched the 'No Honking Day' programme on Mondays, they did it with the aim of dissuading the City's motorists from honking unnecessarily, at least once a week, to help reduce noise pollution. But come Monday and one can hear unbearable honking on the roads.
On the other hand, 'Bus Day' seems to have picked up gradually. More and more people are making the effort to use buses on the fourth of every month. In fact, the BMTC actually introduces extra buses on every 'Bus Day' to accommodate passengers. "We have received a very good response from the IT crowd. The Volvos are a popular choice for many on this day. But this wasn't an overnight change. We had to publicise it a lot and finally, people are coming forward and following it," says an official from the Shanthinagar BMTC bus depot.
Many admit that there is a lot of initial excitement at following an initiative like this. Amanda, a professional, admits that when she heard of 'No Honking Day', she was very keen to follow it and did so for a few weeks. "But with the kind of traffic we have, it's impossible to drive without using the horn. As time passed, my enthusiasm faded and frankly, I even forgot that Mondays are 'No Honking Day'," she says. Like her, many say that they either forget or are not even aware of this initiative. Ashith, a student, adds that it's sad that initiatives like these don't get half the attention that Mother's Day and Valentine's Day do.
"Although we preach a lot about helping the environment, not many people come forward when it actually comes down to doing something. Though I am not much of environmentalist, I always make it a point to use the bus instead of my own vehicle. I also encourage my friends to do the same. Having a particular 'Day' only makes a difference when people actually make the effort to do something towards the change," adds Ashith.
Pilith, a student, agrees that the success of such initiatives is dependent on the number of people who follow them. "Personally, I prefer to use a bike to commute. But I use the horn only when necessary. I am sure that half the people in the City are not even aware of 'No Honking Day'. Such initiatives should come from within — else there is no point," he sums up.
Out of many such initiatives, only a few of them have been a success, others simply fizzle out. This raises an important question — how many Bangaloreans actually make the effort to follow these initiatives? And do they really make a difference?
When the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) launched the 'No Honking Day' programme on Mondays, they did it with the aim of dissuading the City's motorists from honking unnecessarily, at least once a week, to help reduce noise pollution. But come Monday and one can hear unbearable honking on the roads.
On the other hand, 'Bus Day' seems to have picked up gradually. More and more people are making the effort to use buses on the fourth of every month. In fact, the BMTC actually introduces extra buses on every 'Bus Day' to accommodate passengers. "We have received a very good response from the IT crowd. The Volvos are a popular choice for many on this day. But this wasn't an overnight change. We had to publicise it a lot and finally, people are coming forward and following it," says an official from the Shanthinagar BMTC bus depot.
Many admit that there is a lot of initial excitement at following an initiative like this. Amanda, a professional, admits that when she heard of 'No Honking Day', she was very keen to follow it and did so for a few weeks. "But with the kind of traffic we have, it's impossible to drive without using the horn. As time passed, my enthusiasm faded and frankly, I even forgot that Mondays are 'No Honking Day'," she says. Like her, many say that they either forget or are not even aware of this initiative. Ashith, a student, adds that it's sad that initiatives like these don't get half the attention that Mother's Day and Valentine's Day do.
"Although we preach a lot about helping the environment, not many people come forward when it actually comes down to doing something. Though I am not much of environmentalist, I always make it a point to use the bus instead of my own vehicle. I also encourage my friends to do the same. Having a particular 'Day' only makes a difference when people actually make the effort to do something towards the change," adds Ashith.
Pilith, a student, agrees that the success of such initiatives is dependent on the number of people who follow them. "Personally, I prefer to use a bike to commute. But I use the horn only when necessary. I am sure that half the people in the City are not even aware of 'No Honking Day'. Such initiatives should come from within — else there is no point," he sums up.