Noise Pollution Rising Across Hyderabad, Sensitive Zones Under Pressure

Noise pollution is emerging as a growing environmental and public health concern across Hyderabad and its surrounding districts. Data collected between January and May this year from real-time noise monitoring stations operated by the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TGPCB) indicates that sound levels in several areas are consistently exceeding prescribed limits. Particularly alarming is the situation in sensitive zones such as the Zoo Park and the University of Hyderabad (HCU), where noise levels are significantly higher than the standards set for such regions.

According to monitoring data, areas including Jubilee Hills, Tarnaka, JNTU, HCU, and Zoo Park are recording noise levels that are 15 to 25 decibels above permissible limits. In HCU, where the allowable limit is 50 decibels during the day and 40 decibels at night, noise levels have reportedly reached 67-71 decibels in the daytime and 66-69 decibels at night. Experts attribute the rise in noise pollution to increasing traffic congestion, rapid urbanization, large-scale construction activity, commercial expansion, and excessive use of vehicle horns. Environmentalists warn that prolonged exposure to high noise levels can affect public health and disturb wildlife habitats, particularly in ecologically sensitive areas.