THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, MARCH 13, 2026

Highlighting the growing impact of urban noise pollution on public health and road safety, Jindal Panther, the retail brand of Jindal Steel, has launched its ‘Shaant City, Safe City’ campaign in Bhubaneswar following a study which found that 87 per cent of residents believe traffic noise poses serious health risks. The initiative seeks to address two of urban India’s most pressing challenges — noise pollution and road safety—while encouraging citizens to adopt responsible behaviour on the roads.

The campaign is backed by a joint study conducted by Jindal Panther and global research firm YouGov, which surveyed commuters and vehicle owners across Bhubaneswar to understand the scale and impact of traffic noise in everyday life. The findings paint a stark picture of rising vehicular noise and its far-reaching consequences for physical well-being, mental health, and road safety in the city.

According to the survey, 86 per cent of respondents reported a significant increase in vehicular noise levels in Bhubaneswar over the past two to three years. The constant exposure to loud traffic sounds is also taking a toll on mental health, with 94 per cent of residents reporting irritability after prolonged exposure to noise, while 91 per cent said it affects their ability to concentrate and increases stress levels.

The study also establishes a strong connection between excessive traffic noise and road safety. As many as 71 per cent of respondents said they have either been involved in or narrowly avoided an accident due to noise-related distraction, while 38% reported having experienced an actual accident linked to such disturbances. Alarmingly, despite these risks, 64% of respondents admitted that they have come to accept extreme traffic noise as a “normal” part of daily urban life.

Commenting on the campaign, Gautam Malhotra, CEO of Jindal Steel Ltd., said: “Traffic density is rising across Indian cities, and yet, noise pollution remains under-discussed as a major threat to urban health and safety. ‘Shaant City, Safe City’ is an attempt to put people at the heart of this conversation. We aim to make the citizens of Bhubaneswar aware of the unhealthy conditioning we have normalised and how we can become more ‘zimmedaar’ on the road, because a truly ‘mazboot’ city is built through responsible actions by each one of us.”

The survey also indicates strong public support for reforms to tackle the issue. Nearly 70 per cent of respondents believe that lowering traffic noise can significantly reduce accidents and fatalities, while 58% associate quieter cities with reduced stress levels and safer pedestrian environments.

Designed to create tangible change, the ‘Shaant City, Safe City’ campaign will feature on-ground activations at traffic-heavy zones across Bhubaneswar, along with radio outreach and community participation initiatives aimed at raising awareness about responsible road behaviour and the health impacts of noise pollution.

Bhubaneswar marks the first phase of this multi-city initiative, which Jindal Panther plans to expand to other Tier-2 cities across India in the coming months, with the aim of building a broader movement for quieter, safer urban roads.

The YouGov study was conducted among 365 vehicle owners and commuters aged between 18 and 65 in Bhubaneswar, offering a comprehensive snapshot of how rising traffic noise is affecting daily life in the rapidly growing city.