Setting up noise barriers in BKC to start in April
Installation of noise barriers at Mumbai’s suburban business hub, Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) will begin in April mid-week.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has issued a letter of intent to M/s Fracasso (I) Pvt. Ltd. to install noise barriers on the 1,150-meter stretch from Kala Nagar to the Income Tax Building junction on a pilot basis.
Noise barriers are like a wall made of polycarbonate that can be installed on the ground to block sound waves. The ones that will be installed at the BKC will be 5-metre high.
The task of installing noise barriers is expected to take about six months. “We received a letter from a group of residents representing BKC Plot Owners Association requesting for noise barriers as traffic noise on the western express highway had increased,” said a senior MMRDA official requesting anonymity.
“We undertook noise-mapping exercise on the entire 4-km stretch of BKC, which showed that there was a need for noise barriers,” said MMRDA chief PRO, Dilip Kawatkhar. The study involved noise wave propagation and modeling the same to find out building-wise and floor-wise noise levels.
BKC belongs to MMRDA and has been developed by them. The hub houses several multinational companies and schools apart from government offices.
“Our study showed that the 1150-m stretch showed noise levels ranging from 65 to 98 decibels and that 5-meter tall noise barriers will bring down the decibel levels to 55,” said S. Nandargikar, Chief Engineer, MMRDA.
Tenders for the Rs 8.68-crore project were floated in January where seven agencies showed interest and three of them submitted tender documents.