Question : Noise Pollution at Airports

(a) whether the Government has conducted studies on the effects of noise pollution on the health of citizens at the airports caused during the take off and landing of aircrafts across the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the noise-pollution level during the take off and landing of aircrafts at airports; and

(d) whether the Government proposes to take/consider any measures to stop or decrease the huge noise pollution produced during the take off and landing of aircrafts so that the people living in the residential colonies near various airports across the country could be saved from noise pollution?

The Minister of State (IC) in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Hardeep Singh Puri)

(a) & (b) No, Sir. This Ministry has not conducted any such study.;

(c) It is difficult to predict the noise pollution level at the time of taking off/ landing of an aircraft at airports, as it depends upon many factors such as type of aircraft, its weight, number of engines, speed and thrust level, etc. However, the International Civil Aviation Organisation has stipulated the permissible noise levels in the range 89 dB to 109 dB, from certification point of view, depending upon the type of aircraft.;

(d) DGCA has issued Civil Aviation Requirements, Section 10, Series A, Part I which stipulates the general requirements and procedures to be followed by the Airlines to regulate the noise generated from aircraft operations in the vicinity of all airports. The said CAR is available at www.dgca.nic.in. In order to reduce/ minimize the noise generated through aircraft operations at their airports, the airport operators are required, as per the said CAR, to minimize use of thrust reverser, continuous descent approach, mixed mode runway operation, restriction of Auxiliary Power Unit( APU)/ Ground Power Unit (GPU) at airport, restriction on ground run up of engines, noise monitoring at major airports, phasing out of noisy Chapter 2 aircraft from operations, construction of sound barriers at IGI Airport, Delhi, etc.