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Mumbai airport is the first in the country to adopt a ‘silent terminal’ policy.In a city where silence is to be had only at cemeteries or the rarefied premises of five star, an unlikely new haven of quiet is a busy transport hub - Mumbai airport.Flight passengers, used to being bombarded with incessant announcements by airlines – as though made by someone with a repetitive disorder - are now almost stunned by the delicious silence that greets them as they enter the departure and arrival lounges.“I can get a lot of work done. I can use my laptop or even make an undisturbed business call while waiting for my flight,” said corporate official Rajiv Sethi, who travels frequently between Delhi and Mumbai. Medical students Saurabh Chaudhary and Priyashri Pradhan, who were boarding a flight to, were greatly relieved too.“Back to back announcements are more confusing than anything else, and we wonder whether anyone pays attention,” said Priyashri.It took Mumbai airport authorities nearly two-and-a-half years to convince airlines to drop all flight and boarding announcements as well as “last calls” to late passengers. Finally on April 15 this year, the domestic airport became a sanctum of quiet in the midst of the Babel tower that is Mumbai.Monitors and signboards placed throughout the terminal carry all the information and directions a passenger would need. There are 570 display systems in place now.Sumaira Abdulali, Convenor of Awaaz Foundation, which campaigns against noise pollution, was full of appreciation for the move. “It is high time Indians stopped thinking that noise has to be an inevitable part of their lives. We certainly don’t need constant announcements. I don’t see why the concept cannot be implemented everywhere, even at railway stations,” she said.Mumbai airport is following the current progressive global practice adopted by Copenhagen, London’s, and several Gulf airports, including Dubai: “Small steps are being taken to make the airport experience more warming, relaxing and enjoyable. We are now among the leading airports worldwide and the only one in India to implement the ‘silent airport’ concept,” said Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd spokesperson Vaibhav Tiwari.The policy also calls for passengers to be more alert and fend for themselves although they are told during check-in time itself that there will be no announcements. No longer can they take their boarding passes and go wandering about or be lost to the world, engrossed in their laptops or mobiles, and expect the airline to nanny them into their flights. Surprisingly the no-announcement measure has had the reverse effect, said Tiwari, “At least one airline has told us that instances of passengersflights are now down to zero.”Prakash Saraf, Director at Sarex Chemicals, who flies at leasta week, said: "I don't think announcements are required at all. Passengers should reach on time for their boarding.” Lokhandwala resident, Businessman Jatin Shah, believes this should be implemented at the international airport too. “People on work are affected badly by noise at airports.”However, the airport has kept in mind first-time fliers and passengers who may be illiterate; both the airport and the airlines have ‘May I Help You’ staff to help passengers. And some situations, such as medical emergencies or sudden cancellations or delay, will still call for announcements.