Urban noise evaluation across different land-uses and pavements in Bengaluru City

Urbanization has significantly increased environmental noise, posing challenges to public health and urban liveability. The rise in noise pollution is primarily driven by expanding transportation networks, industrial activities, and high-density urban areas. The current study explores the impact of noise across different land-uses in Bengaluru City, focusing mainly on vehicular noise sources. The work aims to identify patterns of noise distribution across diverse urban settings, providing insights into how different land-uses contribute to varying noise levels. Noise emissions were recorded using a sound-level meter at intersections and edges of the pavements (roads) across four land-use categories viz., Commercial, Educational, Residential, and Mixed. An attempt was made to capture the noise during various times of the day. Noise variation with reference to temperature was analysed across different land-uses in Bengaluru. Noise data from edges and intersections across the different land-uses in Bengaluru City were originally collected every second and then systematically averaged over 2-min intervals. Elevated afternoon temperatures amplified noise levels by 23.37% for maximum and 21.38% for minimum levels compared to morning readings. Rigid pavements at intersections in mixed-use areas generated more noise due to vehicle vibrations, reaching 80 dB(A). Commercial areas peaked at 107.2 dB(A) at intersections, and mixed-use areas hit 108.1 dB(A). A questionnaire survey was conducted, that highlighted noise impacts on road users, leading to recommendations like noise barriers, green cover, better public transport, traffic calming, and speed enforcement. The study emphasizes urban noise pollution's impact on liveability and health.