Srinagar- Following four metropolitan cities of India, Lal Chowk, the major commercial hub of Srinagar, saw the installation of Noise Monitoring System (NMS), a first-of-its-kind initiative to reduce the noise levels and its detrimental impacts in the overcrowded area.
Officials said that traffic noise has a detrimental influence on urban settlements and the installation of a Noise Monitoring System is expected to mitigate this impact by transmitting data to relevant authorities on a day to day basis.
Noise pollution control and abatement measures, they said, are essential for lowering ambient noise levels in urban settlements, where passenger buses, light motor vehicles (LMVs), taxis, and two-wheelers are major contributors to both air and noise pollution.
“The process of monitoring noise levels is measuring and quantifying the amount of sound in a specific area using specialized equipment, such as Noise Monitoring System,” Ramesh Kumar, Member Secretary of J&K Pollution Control Board told Kashmir Observer.
“The mitigation strategies are used to protect the immediate surroundings from the negative impacts of noise pollution,” he said, adding that the objective of NMS is to assess the effects of noise pollution and ensure that rules are followed.
He said that Jammu does not currently have any such facility in place as of now, and the Lal Chowk of Srinagar became first to have a noise Monitoring System after four Indian metropolises.
“NMS was introduced at Lal Chowk under Srinagar Smart City Ltd. This is a really positive move, since it helps lower the noise levels brought on by traffic. Every day, NSM gathers data on the amount of noise produced during the day and the night. After the data is sent to the headquarters, it is measured, and a plan is then implemented in response,” said Kumar.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Traffic City Muzaffar Ahmad Shah welcomed the initiative and said that the NMS would help reduce noise pollution caused by the heavy traffic at Lal Chowk.
When asked if the system would assist the traffic department in any way, he responded that it would be premature to comment because the NMS had just been installed at Lal Chowk to measure noise levels.
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