Noise levels at major traffic junctions in the city, including Ashok Pillar, Koyambedu, Vadapalani, Saidapet, Anna Salai near LIC building, Anna Nagar roundabout and Madras Medical College are well above the permissible extent.
According to Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000, the Ambient Air Quality Standards in respect of noise in areas categorised as commercial area is 65 decibels (db) for day time and 55 db for night time. Data recorded by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board shows that the Pachaiyappa's College junction recorded 80.6 db, the highest among other spots in the city.
It was measured during the day time, which is between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.
The data was recorded in the end of 2008, said to be one of the few comprehensive studies carried out by the Board at traffic junctions. The noise recorded by the Board at over 20 locations in the city using noise level metres was mainly vehicular noise that included sounds of horns, in some cases air horns, engine noise and noises of vehicles moving. Sounds of civil works being carried out on the road side, noises from loud speakers and even sounds of people talking on mobile phones add to the noise levels, said officials of the Board.
According to the study, the noise level during the day time was 78.8 db near the Gemini flyover, 78.5 db near the LIC building, 78.6 db around the autorickshaw stand inside the Central railway station, 78.6 db at the Vadapalani junction, 75.7 db near the Saidapet bus terminus, 77.7 db near the Madras Medical College, 77.1 db near the Ashok Pillar, 76.9 db near the Anna Nagar roundabout and 71.3 db near the bus stop near the Egmore railway station.
Advocate K.V.P. Deepakraj, a resident of Mylapore, said that police should take steps to issue memos to vehicles using loud horns. “It is a nuisance. They issue memos and book cases for not wearing helmets and seat belts sometimes. In other countries people do not sound horns unless absolutely necessary. Stringent measures by the concerned authorities would help bring down the noise levels caused by vehicular horns,” he said.
