Waiting at traffic lights in the congested eastern Indian city of Kolkata has been transformed into a pleasant experience as the poetry of legendary Bengalis soothes the jangled nerves of motorists.

Loudspeakers atop signal posts play compositions by Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel literature laureate (1913), and Bangladesh’s national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam in the bustling metropolis, which is the capital of West Bengal state.

“We have introduced such songs and music at around 60 crossings and intersections,” said Kolkata mayor Sovan Chatterjee.

He told the German Press Agency dpa by phone that, “The project will be extended to all over the city in phases over the next couple of weeks.

“The initiative is proving popular as it provides relief from the stressful driving.”

Chatterjee said the initiative, part of a municipal project to beautify the city, would also acquaint tourists with the city’s culture.

With 1.5 million vehicles, Kolkata has heavy traffic congestion. Police find it difficult to direct the flow of vehicles in a city that has hardly 6 percent road space and hawkers encroaching on streets.

The initiative has met with approval from the city’s traffic police, who say it could be a good way to manage both traffic and pedestrians.

Shankar Basak, who works in a private firm in the business district of Esplanade, said: “It is a pleasant change from the irritating honking at signals. Motorists, usually impatient earlier, are now relaxed and wait at ease.”

Pedestrians linger on near intersections, seemingly spellbound by the compositions rendered by leading Bengali singers. Some employees take a longer walk to their offices in order to enjoy the poetry.

But opposition left-wing parties have criticised the move, saying it amounted to trivialising Tagore’s compositions.

“A primary feature of Tagore compositions is the depth of the songs. One needs to be meditative to relish the beauty of such compositions,” Revolutionary Socialist Party leader Khiti Goswami told IANS news agency earlier.

“In the cacophony of the streets, one cannot soak in the spirit of such songs,” he said.     

- dpa