Mumbai: The Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) has come up with measures to mitigate noise pollution from the metro construction across the Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ line also known as Metro Line-3. In a meeting with Manoj Saunik, principal secretary (transport and port) on Thursday, the MMRC spoke about its installation of noise barriers in Cuffe Parade and Vidhan Bhavan stations.
The metro rail body has also claimed that it has incorporated techniques of removing muck with a mechanical device that is specially designed to eliminate noise created by piling activity. Noise activist, Sumaira Abdulali, the founder of NGO Watchdog Foundation will be also be monitoring the noise reduction work by the MMRC.
“The MMRC is committed to following additional noise mitigation measures for reducing the noise generated during Metro construction activities. Noise during Metro construction is a temporary disturbance and once commissioned it would lead to reduction in noise pollution by taking substantial number of vehicles off the road.” said Ashwini Bhide, MD, MMRC in the meeting held at Mantralaya in the presence of Ms Abdulali.
Ms Bhide, along with S.K. Gupta, director (Projects) and R. Ramana, executive director, provided details of measures, which are already being adopted at various sites to mitigate noise. They also mentioned the difficulties being encountered due to congested site conditions. Ms. Bhide said, “High noise generating piling activity is temporary and would be completed by December 2018, whereas excavation activities would reach to 10 to 12 m deep by December 2018, thereby significantly red-ucing noise levels due to metro activities.” She added, “With completion of decking and piling at most of the sites, we believe the noise level should go down.” She also clarified that the baseline noise levels measured in 2016/17 are already above permissible limits.
Ms Abdulali said that she certainly is not against the metro project. “I will be monitoring the actions taken to reduce noise levels and invite people to keep me informed of the situation.”
