New Delhi, In Delhi, where a traffic signal can mean a chorus of horns, busy roads run alongside homes and hospitals, and elevated Metro tracks cut through densely built neighbourhoods, noise is an almost constant feature of urban life.
A new study conducted under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research has now developed a model that combines geographical and real-time traffic data to map environmental noise across the city. The study seeks to address the limitations of conventional noise-monitoring methods by integrating land-use and geographical factors with real-time traffic variables such as vehicle counts, speeds and honking. The approach could provide a more accurate and cost-effective way of predicting and mapping noise across a complex urban landscape such as Delhi. The significance of the research lies in the nature of Delhi itself. Unlike cities where residential, commercial and industrial areas are more clearly separated, the capital has a highly mixed urban landscape. As the study points out, residential colonies often sit alongside markets and commercial establishments, while schools and hospitals can be located close to busy roads. Different types of vehicles share the same roads, traffic conditions change through the day and honking is a prominent part of the city’s traffic environment. These characteristics make Delhi particularly difficult to study through conventional noise-monitoring methods. The study also incorporated data on hourly traffic counts, vehicle speeds and honking events, along with information on roads, land use, population density, built-up areas, metro infrastructure, railway stations, bus stops and traffic crossings.
To capture this complexity, researchers used noise observations from 201 locations across Delhi.
Titled “Integrated land use regression model with road traffic characteristics for environmental noise prediction and mapping in urban regions with heterogeneous traffic conditions”, the study uses Delhi as a case study to develop a framework that could help authorities understand the spatial and temporal distribution of noise and plan more targeted measures to control it. “For Delhi, where air pollution is routinely measured and mapped, the study brings another form of pollution into sharper focus,” Kumar said.
