Delhiites may soon get relief from the ever-rising, deafening noise levels in the metropolis.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) will set up its first automatic noise monitoring centres at RK Puram, Mandir Marg, Punjabi Bagh, Anand Vihar, Civil Lines and IGI Airport.

“We are in the process of procuring equipment. Installation will begin soon. We will soon start monitoring real-time noise levels in the Capital,” said a senior DPCC official.

“Once these centres are operational, we can have better action plans and stricter enforcement,” he said.

Till now, the DPCC monitored noise levels manually. Efforts to curb rising noise levels in the city, a potential cause for ailments such as hearing impairment and sleep disorders, have not been effective because of lack of scientific monitoring and data collection. Noise control measures are taken and awareness campaigns are carried out only on special occasions such as Diwali.

The pollution committee is already using the six locations to monitor air quality. “We are procuring five-noise monitoring systems this financial year to have real-time noise monitoring data,” said a senior DPCC official. Six air quality monitoring stations established by the DPCC are providing round-the-clock information on ambient air quality in different parts of the Capital.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had in her budget speech promised noise monitoring centres this year. The Central Pollution Control Board has some monitoring centres in the Capital but they have not been effective because of their locations.

The the Delhi government’s latest economic survey says the city experiences excessive noise on account of large number of vehicles, including those coming from other areas, construction activities, DG sets and loudspeakers. “The number of vehicles registered in Delhi has increased from 24.32 lakh in 1994-95 to more than 74 lakh in March 2012,” the survey found.

In October last year, top environment department officials of the Delhi government told police and administrative officials to ensure effective enforcement of measures to curb noise pollution.

The focus was on effective implementation of the noise pollution (regulation and control) rules, 2000, and checking high sound levels after 10 pm as directed by the Supreme Court. A DPCC official admitted that noise pollution in Delhi was 10-14 decibels higher than the safe limit of 50 db.

Source-http://paper.hindustantimes.com

The result: the project — which was scheduled to be operational by March this year — has missed the deadline yet again.

During the annual press conference of Delhi Police in January this year, the traffic police had promised that e-challans would become partially operational in January and fully by March.

In January, the traffic police had initiated a trial by introducing some of the devices in Parliament Street area of Central Delhi. However, the gadgets developed a technical snag. Sources said the hand-held device, which was used to issue challans, encountered a problem while working in the sunlight.

According to sources, the vendor Airtel is not ready with 1200 e-challan devices and has sought more time for supplying the gadgets.

“We do not know when the project would successfully be implemented,” said Anil Shukla, additional commissioner of police (traffic).

‘’After the successful deployment of the pilot, we are determined to take all steps towards its successful implementation,’’ said a spokesperson of Airtel.

After running into several delays, the e-challan system had got the final nod of the state government in November. Following this, the traffic police were keen to formally launch the project by making 100 gadgets operational during the special drive against drunk driving on the eve of New Year in Central Delhi.

But the plan never materialised as the vendor was not ready with the devices.

As per the tender agreement, Airtel was to provide 1200 e-challan instruments to cover the entire city by March and also provide technical support for operating the instruments. With e-challan — an electronic format of the challan – becoming functional, there will be a record of all traffic violations against errant drivers and vehicles. This, the traffic police claims, will help initiate a new regime of better enforcement by having higher penalties for second and subsequent prosecutions and ensure point system for supervision and cancellation of driving licences.

Source : http://paper.hindustantimes.com/

NEW DELHI: Building 20 km of road on national highways a day is still a distant dream for the UPA II government.

Four years after the then road minister Kamal Nath had announced the ambitious target, the National Highways Authority of India — the central agency which builds highways across the country – has managed to build just 8 km of highways per day during the financial year 2012-13 that ended on Sunday.

According to statistics made available by the NHAI, the agency was able to construct a little over 2900-km stretch in 2012-13. Though the figure is highest so far (see box), NHAI still has way to go before it is able to meet the 20-km-a-day target. To achieve this, NHAI will not only have to award higher number of highway projects but will also have to build 7000 km stretch every year. Experts say it seems unlikely unless the highway agency augments its capacity.

RP Singh, NHAI chairman, however, said, “Our target was to build 3000 km. Our achievement is much better than expected and is the highest as compared to the previous years”.

But more than meeting its construction target, what has worried road ministry officials is the dismal achievement vis a vis awarding highway projects during 2012-13. The NHAI has been able to award a little over 1,000 km stretch as on March 31 as against the original target of 9,500 km which was later scaled down to 6600 km.

Officials attribute this to a host of factors, including the prevailing market condition and delay in getting environment clearance. “For the time being, we should live with this. There are a number of reasons — administrative such as delay in getting environment clearance, land acquisition etc. and market related which have been responsible for dismal award figures,” BK Chaturvedi, Planning Commission member (infrastructure) told HT.

While NHAI has been able to build 2900 km highways during 2012-13, the road ministry has been able to build an additional 2900 km as part of its various non national highway development projects.

Source- http://paper.hindustantimes.com

These include providing connectivity to the naxal-affected areas and the North-East region.

Chaturvedi is holding a meeting to review the progress of road projects on April 3.