It roars like a jackhammer: which city is the loudest on Earth and how does it impact its residents?

Residents of the Indian city of Mumbai hear the sounds of vehicles, loudspeakers, construction machinery, and firecrackers on the streets every day. The noise level has reached exceedingly high values, raising concerns among local authorities and activists. The publication Express reported on why Mumbai is considered the loudest city on the planet.

Journalists gathered information from a series of publications by Indian media regarding noise levels in India. For instance, the Mumbai Mirror portal features results from a street noise study released by Sumaira Abdulali, head of the non-profit organization Awaaz Foundation. It was revealed that during peak hours, sound levels in Mumbai can reach 100 dB. Meanwhile, anything above 75 dB is harmful to health, Sumaira reminded.

There are several sources of noise that contribute to Mumbai's reputation as an excessively loud city, the article states. These include construction, firecrackers, and vehicle noise. Among these, the chaotic honking of drivers has been identified as the main issue in the specialized magazine Traffic Infra Tech Read. The primary offenders are auto-rickshaws and private car drivers. An activist from Awaaz Foundation explained why this happens. According to him, driving instructors teach Indian drivers to honk at every turn.

Noise Levels — Details

The article included the opinion of an otolaryngologist from Kokilaben Hospital. He stated that noise causes "stress, anxiety, hypertension, cardiovascular, and endocrine issues." Meanwhile, the World Health Organization assures that 7 million people die each year due to street noise, the journalists wrote.

Considering all the negative consequences, Indian authorities are trying to protect people from noise, Express explains. For example, the Mumbai government attempted to ban loudspeakers, also impacting religious institutions that conduct services too loudly.

"The Supreme Court ruled that no religion considers loudspeakers as an essential aspect, and therefore the police must take measures to reduce noise," journalists reported.

Meanwhile, in Ukraine, the "State Sanitary Norms for Permissible Noise Levels" outline requirements for public and residential spaces, wrote the publication Liga.net. For instance, in apartments, the permissible noise level is: from 8 AM to 10 PM — up to 40 dB, from 10 PM to morning — 30 dB. In areas adjacent to homes — no more than 55-65 dB. Meanwhile, the noise level of vehicles is 75 dB, a perforator is 95 dB, and an airplane is 140 dB, indicates an infographic from the portal dreamdim.

It is worth noting that in autumn 2024, "Suspilne Chernivtsi" reported on what to do about the noise of generators operating on the streets. One suggestion for shop owners is to place the generator in a special box, which can somewhat reduce the noise.

We remind you that the Verkhovna Rada plans to introduce fines for drivers for exceeding noise levels: fines could exceed 10,000 UAH, according to the draft law.