Patients at the KEM and Nanavati Hospitals will be subject to high levels of noise once construction on these ambitious projects commences
Patients at the KEM and Nanavati Hospitals will be subject to high levels of noise once construction on these ambitious projects commences
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No longer will the Nanavati and KEM Hospitals fall in silent zones. As work on the metro and monorail that pass through Nanavati and KEM hospitals respectively commences this year, patients may be inconvenienced by noise from the construction activities.
The Charkop-Bandra-Mankhurd phase-II of metro rail will pass through Nanavati, and the Jacob Circle-Wadala-Chembur phase-I of monorail will pass through KEM. Both these mega-transport projects will generate between 75-80 db of noise, when operational. A senior official from MMRDA said, "Our contract dossiers stipulate that contractors keep the noise levels below 75 db."u00a0u00a0
However, work on the metro and monorail projects is expected to generate a noise in excess of 90db.
G Madan, director, Mass Rapid Transit System for MMRDA said, "The metro and monorail can be made soundproof in such sensitive zones, but this will escalate the project costs."
If the situation demands, the MMRDA can construct a concrete wall on both sides of the tracks of the metro rail that pass through silent zones.
Surprisingly, authorities at the Nanavati Hospital are not particularly worried about the rising decibel levels. Ashok Hatholkar, medical superintendent, Nanavati Hospital said, "The metro rail is being constructed with the interests of the public in mind. We are willing to make required adjustments."u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
Too loud
People using the underground Kolkata metro rail had filed a complaint against the Railways, as the metro trains would make too much noise. Since the windows of the metro were open and the tunnel air conditioned, there was little space for the sound to travel and this created an echo. The Railways provided earmuffs to motormen and made minor changes in the tunnels to reduce noise levels.u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
Noise levelsu00a0
Noise generated during construction: 90 db (noise made by lawn mover)
Noise generated by metro and monorail: 75-80 db (noise made by heavy traffic)u00a0
Reduction of noise by concrete walls: 25 per cent (ie. 60 db equivalent to the sound when speaking)u00a0u00a0
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