The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has issued revised technical standards for real-time noise monitoring, paving the way for round-the-clock measurement, automated alerts and digital mapping of noise levels across Delhi-NCR and other urban areas. The system is intended to help authorities identify where, when and for how long prescribed noise limits are exceeded.
According to a report by Jagran – New Delhi, the revised standards have been issued for real-time noise monitoring stations, and state pollution control boards and pollution control committees have been directed to procure and install centres in accordance with them. The first phase proposes four monitoring stations.
The stations will be connected to a central server and control room through 4G or 5G networks. They will record noise levels every second and measure sound between 30 and 140 decibels. When noise crosses the prescribed limit, the system will send SMS alerts to relevant officials, allowing authorities to identify potential violations more quickly than periodic or complaint-based monitoring.
The proposed system will maintain local data backups and store information on the central server for at least 10 years. This will allow noise levels to be compared across different days, months and years. The system is also designed to automatically generate daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual reports.
Monitoring locations and their operational status will be displayed on digital maps. When noise exceeds the prescribed limit, the indicator for the relevant monitoring station will change colour. Under the proposed arrangement, part of the collected data will also be made available to the public through the websites of state pollution control boards, enabling residents to check noise conditions in their areas.
The standards were reviewed by a committee comprising experts from the National Physical Laboratory, the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, IIT Kanpur and the Central Road Research Institute in Delhi, the report said. The revised technical requirements were issued after this review.
The monitoring stations may also be equipped, where required, with weather instruments, wind-speed sensors and devices to count vehicular movement. These additions are intended to help authorities assess the role of traffic and weather conditions in rising noise levels. The system will include solar power and battery backup so monitoring can continue during electricity interruptions.
To maintain measurement accuracy, the equipment will be calibrated every six months. Automated checks will be used to detect technical faults, while unauthorised opening or tampering with a monitoring station cabinet will also trigger an alert. The proposed framework therefore combines continuous measurement with data storage, equipment safeguards and an enforcement notification system.
The system’s effectiveness will depend on the installation of the proposed stations, their operational continuity and the response that follows an alert. The revised standards establish the technical framework; state pollution control boards and pollution control committees are responsible for procuring and installing monitoring centres under the plan described in the report.
