Metro noise harms health, says NEERI

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Pollution Control Bureau (MPCB)-appointed agency NEERI has submitted its report on ambient noise levels at Cuffe Parade, where Metro-3 construction is on, according to which the noise levels exceeded the prescribed levels as per the noise pollution rules. According to the report, the ambient noise levels at the Metro construction sites for daytime ranged from 68.5 to 91.9 decibels and during night time, it was in the range of 60.3 to 83.4 decibels.

NEERI also advised that noise barrier and regular maintenance of machinery used for the Metro project could reduce substantial noise levels. The court has kept the hearing for Monday.

A division bench of Justices A S Oka and Riyaz Chagla was hearing an application filed by the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited (MMRCL), seeking modification of an earlier order of the HC which prohibited them from carrying out Metro work at Cuffe Parade during the night.

The high court had in December last restricted MMRCL from carrying out any construction work in the night as it was creating noise pollution and causing hassles to people residing in the area. MPCB had last month appointed national environmental engineering research institute (Neeri) to carry out noise monitoring at the sites where Metro construction is on. The report said that while the construction noise may not pose a serious health risk to people it could affect their quality of life.

“The construction noise could be a contributing factor to the degradation of a person’s health... it could cause them to be irritated and stressed and can interrupt their ability to sleep,” the report said.