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Mumbai’s newly unveiled Coastal Road, intended to ease traffic and showcase innovation, is striking a discordant note with residents living near a 500-meter stretch engineered to play the Bollywood hit “Jai Ho” as vehicles pass over it. More than 650 families have formally complained about the constant music, describing it as an unwelcome and disruptive intrusion into their daily lives.
The musical road, inaugurated on February 11, 2026, by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, utilizes specially carved grooves in the asphalt to create the tune when cars travel between 70 and 80 kilometers per hour (approximately 45-50 mph), according to reports. Even as authorities tout the feature as a safety measure designed to encourage drivers to maintain a safe speed, residents are calling it a nuisance.
The Coastal Road project itself, a $1.6 billion undertaking completed after over a decade of planning since 2011, has been a source of contention, with critics arguing it primarily benefits wealthier car owners while the majority of Mumbai’s 23 million residents continue to rely on overcrowded public transportation. The addition of the musical element has only intensified the debate.
A Symphony of Complaints
Residents of the upscale Breach Candy neighborhood, located along the Coastal Road, say the repetitive playing of “Jai Ho” – composed by A.R. Rahman for the film Slumdog Millionaire – from 6 a.m. To midnight is causing significant distress. The complaint alleges the sound “enters homes,” forcing residents to retain their windows closed. They argue the constant noise constitutes an “intrusive background noise” and a potential safety hazard due to auditory distraction for drivers.
Authorities defend the musical road as a unique blend of engineering and entertainment, intended to improve driver alertness and reinforce speed discipline. The grooves in the road surface act like a giant vinyl record, creating vibrations that produce the tune when tires roll over them at the designated speed. However, residents are unconvinced, accusing officials of prioritizing a “speed-control gimmick” over more pressing traffic concerns, such as speeding on the newly constructed highway.
The concept of musical roads isn’t new. Japan pioneered the idea in 2007 and similar installations have since appeared in countries including Hungary, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States. However, most of these roads are located in less densely populated areas, unlike Mumbai’s placement adjacent to a high-end residential district.
Engineering and Entertainment Collide
The 500-meter musical stretch is located on the northbound carriageway of the Coastal Road, between Priyadarshini Park and Amarsons Garden, shortly after vehicles exit the coastal road tunnel. Signs are posted to alert drivers to the upcoming musical section and the required speed to experience the tune.
Engineers explain that the spacing between the grooves determines the pitch of the sound – closely spaced grooves create higher pitches, while wider spacing results in lower pitches. The vibrations created when tires pass over the grooves effectively turn a vehicle into a mobile speaker. The Deccan Chronicle reports the installation is designed to be a novel approach to road safety.
Despite the intended benefits, the residents’ formal complaint, addressed to Mumbai’s municipal commissioner and copied to the Maharashtra chief minister’s office, highlights the potential for distraction on a high-speed road. They also point out the irony of adding noise pollution at a time when many cities are actively working to reduce it.
The eight-lane Coastal Road has already significantly reduced travel time between Marine Drive and Worli, from 45 minutes to approximately 10 minutes. However, the controversy surrounding the musical road underscores the ongoing debate about the project’s overall impact and its prioritization of certain segments of the population.
Authorities have not yet responded to the residents’ formal complaint, but the issue is likely to remain a point of contention as the Coastal Road becomes a more integral part of Mumbai’s transportation network. The situation raises questions about the balance between innovative infrastructure projects and the quality of life for those living nearby.
What comes next will depend on the response from Mumbai’s municipal authorities and the Maharashtra chief minister’s office. Further investigation into the noise levels and potential safety implications of the musical road is expected, and a decision on whether to modify or remove the feature is anticipated in the coming weeks. Share your thoughts on this unique infrastructure project in the comments below.
