India’s Deafening Dilemma: The Rising Toll of Urban Noise

In cities across India, noise is more than a background nuisance—it’s a constant, inescapable force shaping daily life. Car horns, construction, and crowded streets combine into a relentless soundscape that often exceeds safe health limits, yet remains widely normalized. In this episode, we explore the hidden toll of urban noise, tracing its impact from hearing loss and heart strain to the cognitive development of children. We examine why habits like excessive honking persist despite known risks, and how gaps in urban planning and enforcement allow the problem to grow unchecked. As research reveals the deeper physiological stress carried by millions, the story uncovers a quieter crisis—one that lingers beneath the more visible fight against air pollution, and challenges how a nation balances growth, culture, and public health.https://www.economist.com/interactive/asia/2026/04/23/honking-is-harming-indias-health-and-its-economy