Increasing Noise Pollution due to Metro Construction : Bangalore

Bangalore is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. It’s called the “IT Hub of the country” and the “Silicon Valley of the country”. There are several difficulties and issues that the city’s residents are dealing with due to the growth in development activities. The rise in noise pollution brought on by the construction of the metro is one such issue Bangalore residents are dealing with.

The city has been experiencing significant disruption as a result of the ongoing building of the metro line. In Bangalore, it is evident that the government pays little attention to the state of the roads, the growth in traffic, the ineffective management of the traffic, and the numerous physical health problems that affect both people and animals.

The entire city is now under the control of this particular case of noise pollution. The metro building project is taking place almost everywhere in the city, which greatly irritates the local populace and environment. Additionally, noise pollution contributes to several ailments, which is not a good thing. Using Hulimavu, Bannerghatta Road as an example, a particular region of Bangalore, there hasn’t been any recent advancement in the work even though metro development in that area has been ongoing for a very long time.

The COVID-19 outbreak caused a hiatus in the work that had earlier begun. There has been a tonne of disruption since the work began following the outbreak, as well as a sudden rise in noise pollution. Construction and motor vehicles are the two main sources of noise pollution in cities. The number of automobiles has also significantly expanded after the epidemic limitations were loosened.

As people are now permitted to host public gatherings, loudspeakers at events also contribute to the elevated noise levels, according to the official. A rise in noise pollution has been seen by city dwellers as well. Sometimes, the timing for construction is also not followed. 

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the permissible noise level in a silent zone is 50 dB during the day and 40 dB at night. In April, the station at RVCE on Mysore Road considered a silent zone, recorded a staggering 83% increase over the permissible level at night and 38% during the day. The average noise level at the station in April was 73.3 dB, a significant increase over the 50 dB in April 2021, and 48.7 dB in April 2020.

The station at BTM Layout, a residential area with a generous sprinkling of business establishments, breached the ceiling by 38.9% at night. The average noise level at the station in April was 62.5 dB as against the permissible 45 dB. 

Within the Hulimavu region, Christ University’s Bannerghatta Road Campus is located. This leads us to the logical conclusion that a large number of students in the area are likely from other parts of the country and the world where they may not be accustomed to the excessive levels of noise pollution. Since there is constant construction going on with intolerable noise, students like them suffer a lot.

Not only that but there is a temple dedicated to Lord Ganesha directly in front of the building site, disrupted by the metro line construction, where the priest and worshippers offer morning and evening prayers and puja. This persistently annoying noise makes it difficult for people to sleep and work well, and it also interferes with the lives of animals. 

The temple’s priest and the worshippers there, as well as the people waiting for buses at the Hulimavu bus station, several Christ University students, and local street merchants, were questioned about the matter. There were various comments from each of them when asked about this problem. The priest’s response to this question was that they are greatly disturbed by the ongoing construction noise because it makes it difficult for them to properly concentrate on chanting mantras and greatly hinders the devotees as well.

Construction noise always manages to ruin the tranquillity of the temple that draws people here, whether it’s during the morning or evening prayers. Furthermore, the street vendor’s response to the situation was that the construction site creates a lot of dust that sticks to their goods and eventually causes harm to them.

The dust not only ruins the products but also makes people sneeze and causes many other troubles as well. And when the students were questioned, they gave answers resembling those of the first two answers. When they travel to and from college, as well as when they return, they are frequently bothered by noise.

The loud and obtrusive noise of construction bothers them a lot, prevents them from sleeping well, prevents them from doing things with concentration, prevents them from focusing on their studies during exams, and causes severe ear pain, headaches, and depression, they continued, adding that they already experience enormous pressure from work and assignments due to college, and many of them are suffering from mental health issues.

There were certain preventive measures that the administration had suggested to save ourselves from noise pollution, and they read as follows :

1. Use earplugs while crossing the construction area.
2. Control noise level near sensitive areas.
3. Plant more and more trees.
4. Avoid bursting crackers.
5. Do not press car horns if not needed.

The authorities also run awareness campaigns on it. On its official app Cops talk, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board displays real-time data from its monitoring stations. According to Ravikanthe Gowda, joint commissioner of police for Bengaluru, the city’s traffic police have been working hard to raise awareness about noise pollution.

“A ‘No Honk’ campaign is currently in effect. Police officers are trained to inform individuals about the negative effects of continuous honking in addition to fining offenders, he told Metrolife. The additional chief traffic warden, C V Muralidhara, claims that the traffic wardens have been adhering to the same procedure.

Wardens are stationed at intersections and signals and we do our best to educate and advise the public, especially cab drivers,” he says. In addition to the blaring horns, he believes there also needs to be a crackdown on “defective silencers”, “These are another big cause for sound pollution,” he adds. 

In conclusion, even though numerous preventive measures have been considered, not much has changed. Only until the metro’s construction is complete will the noise pollution be eliminated. We must all maintain our health and safety while this issue is still present. Even though it’s a never-ending problem, at least all can strive to combat it jointly.