Bengaluru’s silence zones louder than factories, KSPCB data shows: Report

As per Karnataka State Pollution Control Board data for May, RVCE Mysore Road recorded night-time noise levels of 57.8 decibels.

Bengaluru's so-called ‘silence zones’, areas near hospitals, schools, and colleges, are now some of the city’s noisiest regions, breaching noise pollution norms at rates even industrial areas are not matching.

The Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (NIMHANS) zone also saw violations, with sound levels 29% higher than permitted. (Representational Image)(HT File)

As per Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) data for May, RVCE Mysore Road recorded night-time noise levels of 57.8 decibels (dB), exceeding the prescribed limit by a massive 44.5%, The New Indian Express reported.

The Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (NIMHANS) zone also saw violations, with sound levels 29% higher than permitted. Despite the rules mandating lower decibel levels near sensitive institutions, these areas consistently show elevated readings. From February to April, silence zones like RVCE and NIMHANS clocked night-time noise levels between 61 and 64 dB(A), far above the allowed 40 dB(A). On one occasion, RVCE hit a peak of 70.3 dB(A), while NIMHANS varied between 56 and 63 dB(A), the report further added.

According to the publication, experts point to a major reason behind the surge: 'phantom honking'. This is the phenomenon where drivers honk out of habit, frustration, or impatience, especially in congested or slow-moving traffic zones near silence areas, even when there's no real need to alert others.