Dubai: Restless nights, the sound of jackhammers and the irritable noise of machinery are forcing tenants to lodge official complaints against noisy construction sites.
In the first three months of 2017, Dubai Municipality received 898 complaints from upset tenants over building sites that violate the emirate’s laws and regulations including noise levels.
The municipality’s set limit for construction work during the day is from 7am to 8pm, at 55 decibels. The noise limit can be compared to everyday noises, as an average bird call is recorded at 44 decibels, while the noise from a large electrical transformer can be at 50 decibels.
However, construction companies can request permits to carry out their work at night up till the early hours of the morning as long as they are below the decibel range.
Engineer Layali Abdulrahman Al Mulla, Director of the Buildings Department at Dubai Municipality, said her team has carried out 379 field visits up until April 1.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Al Mulla said: “The necessary technical reports have been submitted. These are about public complaints and complaints regarding violations of existing building rules during public holidays and outside working hours, as well as the requests of some government agencies such as the Dispute Settlement Centre.”
A team of municipal officials also carried out inspections at 220 buildings after receiving complaints about a number of violations, including bachelors living in family-designated buildings and different families living together in the same house/apartment that was specifically designed for one.
Residents facing any problems related to noise from construction activities are urged to contact Dubai Municipality’s toll-free number 800 900.
In 2015, Dubai Municipality received 2,124 complaints including instances of companies not abiding by safety regulations at construction sites and reports of noise caused by construction work at night.
