Sound barriers for building sites

The state government is all set to tweak rules for construction permissions and include a clause that makes it compulsory for sites to have sound barriers during the construction period.

The state government is all set to tweak rules for construction permissions and include a clause that makes it compulsory for sites to have sound barriers during the construction period.

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Moreover, developers have also been asked to use piling and drilling machines that make less noise.

“Before we give permissions for construction, we will take an undertaking from the developer that such barriers will be put up around such sites. We will give the civic body the powers to check if this is being implemented on site,” said Minister of State for Urban Development Bhaskar Jadhav.

This move comes after the issue of noise pollution was raised by Shiv Sena Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Deepak Sawant, who said that the rampant construction in the city caused huge noise pollution problems and is a matter of concern for the neighbourhood for which there is no regulation.

“It becomes a problem for people when three-four buildings are being constructed within a length of 100 meters of one another. The piling work, the construction material lying around all causes problems,” said Sawant.

He added that the state government had come out with a Government Resolution (GR) dated April 2009, that calls for an undertaking from builders before commencing any work. It also specifies the type of enclosures, vehicles to be used and storage details. “But this is not being implemented,” he said.

Nationalist Congress Party MLC Prakash Binsale added that there should be some regulation on how the construction material like steel pipes should be brought to the site and how it should be stored. “ We see it lying around for months and it is dangerous for health,” he added.

Jadhav agreed that noise pollution was a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. He pointed out that if one has to adhere to the noise rules, which limits the noise pollution level limit in residential areas at 50 decibels dB during the day and 40 dB in night. In commercial areas it is 60 dB during the day and 55 dB during the night.

“In fact, a vehicle that passes by makes a sound of 70 dB. So we will have to work it all out scientifically.

To begin with, we have asked construction companies to use piling machines of a make that does not cause noise,” Jadhav added.