The proposal, which has been in the works for some time, comes against the backdrop of concerns expressed in some quarters, including by resident welfare associations, about noise pollution being created by aircraft operations.
To assess the situation at airports, various studies have been carried out by agencies and discussions have been going on between different government departments over the last few years.
The Environment Ministry is working on a proposal for bringing in standards on noise levels pertaining to aircraft operations and measures for maintaining noise within the permissible limits, a senior official said.
Back in September 2013, a study on noise levels from aircraft operations at the Delhi international airport was conducted by DGCA through a foreign entity.
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Besides, CPCB has done studies on few other airports, the official said.
In December 2014, the regulator had issued a CAR (Civil Aviation Requirement) on 'noise management of aircraft operations at airports'.
The issue of noise pollution from aircraft operations has been simmering for sometime and some entities had also moved court and tribunals in this regard.
According to a DGCA official, the general view has been that it would not be practical to put in place restrictions for night operations on aircraft in the country.
Such a move could result in foreign carriers choosing other countries rather than India as their hub for operations.
On April 5, NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar had
directed the government to file a short note on steps taken by it to notify noise-level standards for airport noise zones.
The tribunal was hearing a bunch of pleas filed by the residents of south Delhi's Vasant Kunj and Bijwasan areas and Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), a super-speciality hospital located near the airport.
The Supreme Court had last November referred the matter to NGT, saying the parties would not claim any interim order before the tribunal.
Apart from having a noise management action plan based on noise mapping study, airport operators are also required to set up real-time permanent Noise Monitoring System (NMS), as per the CAR.
"Airport operators shall carry out a noise mapping study around their airports including areas directly under the flight paths, to assess the existing noise loads and the population affected within the various noise contours/maps using an internationally accepted noise model and actual data (eg flights, aircraft types, routes used, radar tracks).