Noise Pollution of Local Train and its Impact on Students Residing Nearby Railway Station

Abstract

Trains are the major source of transport in Mumbai. It also causes noise pollution which may have a negative impact on health such as hearing impairment, sleep deprivation and low concentration. These side effects have adverse impact on students' academic performance. For the present study, twenty volunteers were selected and they were divided into control and experimental groups. The volunteers from experimental group were from locality near to the station, whereas volunteers from control group live far from that station area. The health condition of the volunteers was recorded normal. The participants were instructed to follow a strict sleep pattern. The present study shows the disturbing pattern of sleep in experimental group. Sleep deprivation may cause stress, negative impact on working capacity and academic performance. Present investigation suggests that improvement is required in nearby area of the station to reduce the impact of noise.

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© 2018 JETIR October 2018, Volume 5, Issue 10 www.jetir.org (ISSN-2349-5162)
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Noise Pollution of Local Train and its Impact on
Students Residing Nearby Railway Station
Dr. Leena Muralidharan, Dr. Sangeeta Gaur, *Chinmay Muralidharan
V. K. K. Menon College of Commerce and S.S. Dighe College of Science,Bhandup (east). Mumbai 400093.
Thadomalshahani engineering colleg ,Bandra. Mumbai 50.
ABSTRACT
Trains are the major source of transport in Mumbai. It also causes noise pollution which may have a negative impact on health
such as hearing impairment, sleep deprivation and low concentration. These side effects have adverse impact on students’
academic performance. For the present study, twenty volunteers were selected and they were divided into control and
experimental groups. The volunteers from experimental group were from locality near to the station, whereas volunteers from
control group live far from that station area. The health condition of the volunteers was recorded normal. The participants were
instructed to follow a strict sleep pattern. The present study shows the disturbing pattern of sleep in experimental group. Sleep
deprivation may cause stress, negative impact on working capacity and academic performance. Present investigation suggests that
improvement is required in nearby area of the station to reduce the impact of noise.
KEYWORDS: Noise impact, health, train, students
INTRODUCTION
India is a developing country and industrialization is a key to its growth. When industrialization develops in a country,
more traffic load is added which is resulting in high level of environmental noise 1. Things are easy and better now. Due to
transportation any distance is no more count as distance. Beside these time saving and positive effects of transportation there is a
negative effect which also exists. More and more noise is produced by these industries, machinery andespecially train transport.
Noise is known as air pollutant 2. Noise from train transport is responsible to noise annoyance 3. Definition of environmental
noise is “any unwanted or harmful outdoor sound created by human activities” 4. The National Institute on Deafness 5 and Other
Communication Disorders, define noise as “Long or repeated exposure to sound at or above 85 decibels can cause hearing loss.”
Transport has significant effect on environment as well as on life of individuals 6. Trains are the major cause of noise
pollution, it causes uncomfortable environment for the people who lives in the nearby railways 7. According to Bhattacharya et.
al.,when train enters and leave the station it honks on the sound level 100 db 8. The main causes of noise pollution from train are
noise due to wheel movement, horn, and noise in tunnel 8. During interaction between wheel and railway track rolling, impact and
curve squeal are the three types of noise are produced. Less than 1000 Hz frequencies are produced by impact noise whereas
curve squeal noise contains large frequency 125 to 500 Hz 9. Heng found maximum noise by train was near the vertical directions
and it was found to be decreased by approximately 10 dB in horizontal direction 10. Significant noise on high rise flat was also
observed by Chui et. al. 1. The present paper suggests the effects of noise on health.This also has a significant role for authorities
from transport planning and land use planning.
MATERIALS AND METHOD
Experimental study was conducted on the noise level produced by train near the railway track behind V. K. Krishna Menon
College of Commerce and Economics and Sharad Shankar Dighe College of Science, Mumbai and theadverse impact of train
noise on student’s academic performance. Noise levels were assessed near Bhandup railway station(east) and within college
premises. Noise by train is recorded by digital sound level meter/ dB meter. The measurements were done with sound meter at Hi-

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593
range which for this meter is 60 dB to 130 dB. The sound level measurements were carried out for six months continuously.
Sound measurements were carried out during day time inside the college premises and on different time period near Bhandup
station.
Twenty volunteers were selected for the study. They were divided into control and experimental groups (Ten of each). In
healthy condition they maintain normal sleeping pattern. They are not addicted by any tobacco product. The body mass index of
the entire volunteer was in normal range. The participants were instructed to follow a strict sleep pattern. For this they have to
sleep at 11 pm every night and wake up at 7 am each morning during test period. The volunteer from experimental group were
from locality near to the station, whereas the control group consist the volunteers who live far from that station area.
Data were expressed as mean ± SEM., or as percentages (relative numbers) for categorical variables. The response of
experimental group was compared with control group.
(Figure1) Map showing the study area
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Our finding shows that noises produced by train are responsible for increased number awaking in night. An increased
risk was observed among those students living in areas with the near railway station. In present study it was observed that student
volunteer from experimental group experienced more harmful effect as compare to their control group peers. The 90% student of
experimental group shows sleep deprivation, whereas in control group sleep deprivation was observed only in 10% students.
Stress was observed in 70% students in experimental group, whereas 15% students suffered from stress in control group. In
experimental group annoyance was recorded in 100% students, whereas only 5% students from control group shows annoyance.
Negative impact on academic performance was observed in 70% students (experimental group), whereas 20% students from
control group shows negative impact on working capacity. Sleepiness during day time was observed in 90% volunteers from
experimental group, whereas it was observed 25% in control group (Table 1, Figure 2).
(Table 1) Negative impact of train noise on students performance
Symptoms
Sleep
deprivation
Stress
annoyance
Negative
impact on
working
capacity
Sleepiness
during day
time
Experimental
90 %
70 %
100 %
70 %
90 %
Control
10 %
15 %
5 %
20 %
25 %

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594
(Figure 2) Impact of train noise on different criteria
Sound level was recorded 88.05556 ± 0.248817 on the time of train arrival at the railway station. 88.55556 ± 0.166121
sound scales were observed when train leave the station. Train horn noise was observed 107.8333 ± 0.325897 at the station (Table
2).
(Table 2) Train noise at Bhandup station
Sr. No.
Sound level in dB when train
arrives on station (Mean ±
SEM)
Sound level in dB when
train leave the station
(Mean ± SEM)
Sound level in dB when
train horn honks (Mean ±
SEM)
1
88.05556 ± 0.248817
88.55556 ± 0.166121
107.8333 ± 0.325897
Health is a most valuable thing for humans. According to WHO 11 definition of health is "Health is a state of complete
physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Noise has negative effect on sleep
pattern, it also has an impact on heart rate during sleep and it may be responsible for cardiovascular disease 12, 13, 14. Exposure to
transportation noise showed negative health effects in children and adults 15. Stress is caused by noise and this stress is
responsible for many health problems 16. In present study sleep disturbance, negative impact on working capacity was observed in
students of experimental group it may be due to biological changes by noise. Halprin 17 suggests that noise in night induced
biological changes in the form of stress and these changes affect sleep pattern and quality. Findings of Babisch 12 also suggest that
noise has negative effects on the concentration, relaxation or sleep. Noise exposure may harm the intellectual abilities of students
16. Daytime sleepiness and tiredness, annoyance, stress, was observed in present study which is supported by Halperin’s 17
finding. Noise is known as a psychological stressor that activates the endocrine system 12, 18. In control group low percentage of
noise impact was observed this may be due to noise generated by vehicles on road or community noise 19.
Noise produced by train can be reduced by different mechanisms such as building and technical noise arrangements.
These arrangements can be of following type:
● Regular maintenance of the railway track
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Sleep
deprivation
Stress
annoyance
Hypertension
Negative
impact on
working
capacity
Sleepiness
during day
time
Impact of Train Noise on Different criteria
Experimental
Control

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● Application of modern types of crossing points and switches
● Brakes in train with an anti-slip device, new brake materials
● Noise enclosure or Noise barrier can be implemented near railway track
By using these mechanisms it would be possible to reduce the noise level 20.
In present research work negative impact of train noise was observed in students which significantly affect their working capacity.
The present study suggests that improvement is needed in the railway station near the study area / residential area to reduce the
impact of noise.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors warmly thank the V. K. Krishna Menon College of Commerce and Economics and Sharad Shankar Dighe
College of Science, Mumbai and all the students who participated in this study.
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