Noise ATM to tackle excessive honking

Mumbai: The National Environmental Engineering Research Institute —NEERI, a central government recognised organisation has suggested measures to tackle increasing noise levels from vehicles and railways in Maharashtra.

The suggestion includes installing a device as a signal, also known as ATM, which will not allow a vehicle to exceed the number of time it can honk.

NEERI has submitted the report to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) with recommendations on 27 municipal corporations. Appreciating the efforts, the Bombay high court has told the body to initiate further research studies on the matter.

Given that noise from traffic has been found to be the biggest source of soaring decibel levels in Mumbai, NEERI has suggested measures like providing sufficient space at the entry and exit of bridges and flyovers to avoid sharp influx of traffic into the path and regulating the vehicles movement of vehicle without silencers during day and night time. “We are working on a system that can be set up in vehicles that will reduce honking intensity with speed of vehicle. The work is being carried out at IIT Bombay. We are also working on the Noise ATM, which will help in regulating the honking,” said Dr Ritesh Vijay, prinicipal scientist at NEERI.

The organisation has also suggested that the upper limit of noise range for horn should be capped to 100 dB instead of current practices of 112 dB. “Ambulances should use sirens judiciously. Instead of siren, red light beam or laser beam of a particular colour may be used for emergency,” he added. The recommendations also look at various aspects including resurfacing roads with low noise materials such as stone mastic asphalt reduces noise levels and using the same for construction of concrete road.