India to replace ambulance sirens with traditional flute and tabla music

20 September 2021, 11:35

The melodious sounds of musical instruments will ring out on the roads of New Delhi, replacing the ambulance sounds that came to dominate during the devastating coronavirus pandemic.

Ambulance horns are to be replaced with the sounds of the flute, tabla and other traditional musical instruments on roads in India.

New Delhi’s union road transport minister, Nitin Gadkari, has confirmed that the shrill shriek of sirens will soon be replaced with the more soothing tones of traditional instruments.

Sounds of the flute, the harmonium, the tabla and the conch shell will replace the all-too-familiar screech of ambulance sounds, which was at an all-time high during the devastating second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the country.

Read more: A neighbourhood waltz by brass duo turns into a trio… as car horn joins in

Setting the new tone for the roads of India’s capital is part of Gadkari’s new vision for the infrastructure in the city, which also includes the planting of crore trees at the sides of a new expressway to help combat pollution, and the removal of pedestrian and animal use of the road to enable a faster route.

The new road in question is the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which Gadkari described as a future “icon of #NewIndia” that “will open endless opportunities for millions of people,” in a recent tweet.

The minister also said that local crafts and produce will be able to be showcased in the area, once the expressway is complete.

Read more: This trombonist playing ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ on a watering can is the bee’s knees

This isn’t the first time vehicular infrastructure has duetted with music. This pianist took to her instrument to harmonise with a car alarm and made it into sweet music.

This guy ingeniously jumped in on a duet to turn it into a street trio with his car horn.

And this violinist decided to improvise, rather beautifully, over a tornado siren in the US. Brilliant.