Archive · 1 Sep 2026
New model maps Delhi’s traffic noise across urban landscape
Researchers created a new way to predict and map noise across Delhi.
They used information about roads, buildings, land use and traffic.
They also counted vehicles, measured speeds and recorded honking.
Noise was measured at 201 locations over nine months.
The number of vehicles was the most important clue for predicting noise.
Honking was another important clue, especially during the day.
Roads, railway stations, Metro infrastructure and busy commercial areas affected noise in different ways.
The maps could help officials decide where traffic changes, quieter infrastructure or better enforcement may be needed.
A CSIR study developed a model combining geographical and real-time traffic data to map Delhi’s environmental noise.
Researchers collected noise observations from 201 locations over nine months, from October 2023 to June 2024.
Hourly traffic counts were the strongest predictor of noise across all four models developed.
Honking was also a major predictor, especially for daytime, 24-hour and day-night noise levels.
High-resolution maps could help authorities target traffic, enforcement and infrastructure-planning measures to reduce noise.
- Who
- Researchers working under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, including Saurabh Kumar.
- What
- They developed an integrated land-use and traffic model to predict and map four measures of environmental noise.
- When
- Noise monitoring took place from October 2023 to June 2024; the study was reported on September 1.
- Where
- Delhi, with high-resolution maps generated for the New Delhi region.
- Why
- To overcome limits of conventional monitoring and help authorities understand and manage noise across Delhi’s mixed urban landscape.
- Study title
- “Integrated land use regression (iLUR) model with road traffic characteristics for environmental noise prediction and mapping in urban regions with heterogeneous traffic conditions”
- Monitoring locations
- 201 locations across Delhi
- Monitoring period
- Nine months, from October 2023 to June 2024
- Main predictor
- Hourly traffic count was the strongest predictor across all four models
- Other major predictor
- Honking events were especially influential for daytime, 24-hour and day-night noise levels
- Noise measures
- Daytime, nighttime, 24-hour equivalent and day-night average noise
- Potential uses
- Targeted traffic management, honking enforcement, behavioural measures and infrastructure planning