While you could be booked for bursting crackers in a silence zone, you could zip through the same area with your vehicle roaring at 90 decibel.
Reason: It is mandatory for all vehicles in the country to keep gas emission below limit, but there is no law to check noise levels.
The main culprits are autorickshaws, trucks and taxis.
Every vehicle owner in India has to obtain a Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate as per section 115 (2) of the Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1989. But, only gas emission is measured in the PUC check, not the noise level.
A PUC check has to be undertaken every six months and motorists have to carry the original PUC certificate at all times. Offenders have to pay a fine of up to Rs1,000.
“Noise checks should be included in PUC. The Central Pollution Control Board can decide on that and the state government can make an amendment under the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989," said JB Sangewar, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Mumbai chief.
Professor Dhanesh Manek, who heads the noise reduction cell in the mechanical engineering department of IIT-B, said: "This is a wonderful idea as vehicles contribute a lot to the city's noise pollution."
But Sarvesh Singh, a driver from Thane, is not confident that the move would help. "Officials issue PUC certificates even if the emission level is above the limit, that's too without taking bribes. Adding noise as a parameter will have only symbolic effect."
