Delhi sleepless as Navratri processions roar into second night

The worst-hit areas included neighbourhoods around Mathura Road, Kalkaji, Nehru Place, and adjoining localities

The lead-up to Navratri has already left much of Delhi sleepless, as late-night processions blare devotional music through loudspeakers and boom boxes, rattling homes and choking major roads. On both Friday and Saturday nights, residents across south Delhi and stretches of eastern and central Delhi reported thundering music, flashing disco lights mounted on trucks, and noise that kept them awake well past midnight.

Truck laden with boom boxes lead a procession from Kalkaji Temple on Saturday. (RAJ K RAJ /HT PHOTO)

The worst-hit areas included neighbourhoods around Mathura Road, Kalkaji, Nehru Place, and adjoining localities, where residents said the noise levels remained unchecked deep into the night.

“Our windows shook from the music. Elderly residents and children are the worst affected. We already face endless traffic jams in this belt during festivals, and these processions only multiply our sorrow,” said Rajbir Singh, a resident of Kalkaji.

Noise regulations, however, leave little room for such disruption. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) permits a maximum of 55 decibels in residential areas during the day and 45 decibels at night. Residents said the amplified sound systems frequently exceeded 80–90 decibels, well above legal limits. For hospitals and other “silent zones,” the limits are even lower—50 dB(A) during the day and 40 dB(A) at night—but processions near Mathura Road, home to several hospitals, made no exceptions.

Locals also highlighted traffic chaos caused by convoys of trucks, cars, and motorcycles forming part of the religious rallies.

“Along the entire stretch from Noida Link Road to Akshardham temple and beyond, several processions with trucks fitted with massive sound systems occupied half the road while traffic crawled by,” said R. Venkat, a resident of Mayur Vihar Phase 1.

Residents recalled that last year, the Delhi Police had intervened by setting up posts near Ashram and even disconnecting wires to vehicle-mounted speakers. “This year, no such action is visible yet. Over the next few days, the problem will only increase,” said Triveni Mahajan, secretary of the Maharani Bagh residents’ association.

A senior police officer, who requested anonymity, said the processions are part of Navratri festivities, during which participants collect jyot (sacred lamps) from Kalkaji temple to take to homes or community pandals.

“It has now become a trend for teenagers to mount giant speakers on decorated trucks and play music at deafening levels. We do deploy personnel along border entry points and major junctions to monitor the processions. When groups do not comply, our staff disconnects the power supply of their systems,” the officer said.

On being asked why are the processions not coming to halt , a police officer, on condiction of anonymity, said “On stopping the procession, the devotees sometimes resort to violence and block roads.”

Residents, however, fear the problem will escalate further as Durga Puja festivities approach.