Silent zones turn noisy in Hyderabad

SIBY JEYYA
Even Hyderabad's "silent areas" are no longer quiet. Recently, noise levels in a few areas of the city have beyond allowable thresholds, prompting worries about noise pollution. Although the typically bustling business districts are notorious for having louder traffic, the city's designated "silent zones" have also begun to experience higher noise levels.
The city's areas are categorized into quiet, business, residential, and industrial districts, with appropriate noise levels allocated for each, to facilitate monitoring and enforcement. But now, the noise is drowning out more and more of what used to be a real depiction of quiet neighborhoods.

It is now evident that the once quiet locations have noise levels that are far higher than the permitted 50 dB and 40 dB levels throughout the day and at night. Nighttime noise levels in some of the quiet regions are about 50dB, while during the day they are about 60 dB.
 
The levels are determined to be at least 10 dB over the permissible limits for both periods. This is mostly attributable to the dramatic rise in the number of cars on city streets, which ultimately results in a significant increase in noise levels.
 
Some of the places, like jubilee hills, which has been known as a busy dining district in recent years, see cars flying in and out until late at night.

According to statistics available from the telangana Pollution Control Board (TGSPCB), jubilee hills has noise levels ranging in the 70s, reaching as high as 78.52dB in the daytime and 79.83dB in the evening in January, despite the allowable noise levels being 55 dB during the day and 45 dB at night.
 
The same data indicates that during the day, noise levels in commercial areas—aside from Paradise—hover near the maximum allowable level of 65 dB, but during the night, they soar much over the suggested 55 dB barrier and repeatedly exceed the 65 dB mark. All year long, paradise reported noise levels as high as 70 dB throughout the day and at night.
 

Remarkably, the only area that regularly recorded scores below the uppermost allowable limits was the industrial area. Throughout the day, Sanathnagar recorded noise levels as low as 54.37 dB in March, which is far lower than the permitted 75 dB threshold. The levels at night were also comfortable.
 


 


 

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