Economic Survey: Karol Bagh Delhi’s noisiest location

Karol Bagh has emerged as Delhi’s noisiest location yet again recording average day-time decibel levels of 74.2 dB(A) in 2023, data from the Economic Survey 2023-24, released on Friday showed.
Though a marginal improvement from 2022’s average of 74.6 dB(A), this was still nearly nine decibels higher than the permissible limit of 65 dB(A) for commercial areas in Delhi, it said. This is now the fourth consecutive year that the station has recorded the highest average decibel levels in a year, since it was set up in 2020.
The lowest average decibel levels in 2023 were meanwhile recorded at Alipur, where the average was 52.5 dB(A) during the day. In 2022, the lowest average decibel levels through the year were 53.8 dB(A) at Najafgarh. The survey said noise pollution data was compiled from 31 stations across the city, 26 of which are relatively new in Delhi and were installed from 2020 onwards.
“DPCC recently strengthened the noise monitoring network in Delhi with 31 (26 new + 5 old) noise monitoring stations. The yearly average of real time ambient noise level during the daytime was in the range of 52.5 dB(A) at Alipur Station to 74.2 dB(A) at Karol Bagh Station in 2023 , till the month of December,” said the survey.
For night-time data, recorded between 10pm and 6am, Anand Vihar was the noisiest location, recording average decibel levels of 65.8 dB(A). The lowest average was 48.4 dB(A) at Alipur again. In 2022, Shahdara (65.2 decibels) was the noisiest location at night and the Dr Karni Singh Shooting Range had recorded the lowest average decibel levels at night – at 50.4 dB(A).
The Economic Survey said out of the 31 stations in Delhi, seven were in silence zones, which includes hospitals and educational institutes; 11 in commercial zones, which includes markets and stadiums; eight are in residential zones and five in industrial areas.
The permissible decibel levels in Delhi during the day range from 55 decibels (dB) in residential areas to 65 dB in commercial areas and 75 dB in industrial areas. During night-time, these levels are supposed to be below 45 dB in residential areas, below 55 dB in commercial and below 70 dB in industrial areas.
A DPCC official, when contacted, said the 31 stations covered a wide network across the city, which included commercial, industrial, silent and residential zones. “Based on the data collected, periodic drives are carried out across the city. Stations recording consistently high levels see special drives and the data is also shared with the police for action, particularly in the case of loudspeakers or industries,” said an official.
Karol Bagh resident, Pratyush Kumar, said the main market remained a source of noise pollution throughout the day, with traffic congestion also adding to the problem. “Due to narrow roads and congestion in the market, incessant honking remains a problem. Noise also comes from sustained use of loudspeakers for local events, as there are a lot of banquet halls in Karol Bagh,” he said.