Hyderabad turns noisy: TSPCB paints grim picture of city’s soundscape

Noise levels in residential hubs like Jubilee Hills and Tarnaka surpass standard decibel limits

Hyderabad: As the bustling metropolis of Hyderabad continues to evolve, its residential areas are facing an unwelcome intruder: noise pollution. Recent data released by the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) paints a grim picture of the city’s soundscape, revealing that residential hubs like Jubilee Hills and Tarnaka have been inundated with noise levels that surpass standard decibel limits throughout 2023.

According to the data, both daytime and nighttime have been fraught with high noise levels. Vehicular traffic, construction activities, and other urban clamours have contributed to the cacophony that pervades these once-serene neighbourhoods.

---

The standard decibel levels prescribed for residential areas stand at 55 dB (A) during the day and 45 dB (A) at night, providing a benchmark against which the actual noise levels are measured. However, the data unveils a disconcerting reality, with noise levels consistently breaching these thresholds throughout the year.

In Jubilee Hills, a neighbourhood renowned for its affluence, the tranquility of its streets has been shattered by a cacophony. Daytime noise levels fluctuated between 64.33 dB (A) and a staggering 87.70 dB (A) in November, while nighttime levels soared as high as 78.04 dB (A) in December.

Similarly, Tarnaka, another residential enclave, has not been spared from the auditory onslaught, with noise levels persistently breaching acceptable limits both day and night throughout the year.

However, amidst this dissonance, there are pockets of respite. Surprisingly, commercial areas like Abids have emerged relatively unscathed during the daytime, with noise levels consistently below the standard limit of 65 dB (A) throughout the year. Nevertheless, nighttime saw a modest uptick in noise, albeit not surpassing alarming levels. The industrial zones of Sanathnagar, Jeedimetla, and Gaddapotharam present a more promising picture, with noise levels remaining within acceptable bounds for most of 2023.

Conversely, areas designated as ‘silence zones,’ such as the Nehru Zoological Park and Hyderabad Central University at Gachibowli, have ironically emerged as the loudest locales, both day and night. The data reveals a disconcerting reality: these supposed havens of tranquility have been among the loudest locales, both day and night. Despite regulatory standards mandating maximum noise levels of 50 dB (A) during the day and 40 dB (A) at night, the actual noise levels have consistently exceeded these thresholds.

For instance, at Nehru Zoological Park, daytime noise levels ranged from 52.64 dB (A) to 67.18 dB (A), while nighttime levels fluctuated between 56.78 dB (A) and 64.26 dB (A). Similarly, at HCU in Gachibowli, noise levels during the day ranged from 58.03 dB (A) to 66.28 dB (A), with nighttime levels hovering between 52.19 dB (A) and 61.43 dB (A).