IPL season brings noise pollution woes at Wankhede Stadium

The residents of Marine Drive, particularly those living close to Wankhede stadium, have been troubled by what they call "avoidable" noise pollution. The residents say that while the IPL match started from 8 pm, the music began to blare from 2.30 pm onwards on Saturday.

On Saturday, the IPL season kicked off its opening ceremony at Wankhede Stadium. "We also love cricket and are not against the matches. But we do not understand this system of music being blared five hours before anything is to start," said Laxmikant Biyani, a resident of Sonawala building which is next to the Wankhede stadium.

The residents said they had to keep their windows shut due to the noise but there was little respite. "It is an obvious thing that there will be a problem if there is a match but things can be managed in a better way. Mrs Ambani does charitable work by bringing kids but the buses are parked in such a way that we cannot even enter our societies," said a resident of Hem Prabha building on Marine Drive.

As per noise pollution norms, noise at the periphery of the stadium should be 55 dB in the day and 45 dB in the night. "If they are getting noise in their buildings and are troubled then the noise pollution barrier may have been crossed," said Sumaira Abdulali, a crusader against noise pollution.