On february 11, mumbai city officials inaugurated a 500-meter section of the Coastal Road, a land-reclaimed highway. This specially designed road acts as a "giant record player", emitting the Oscar-winning song "Jai Ho" (from the movie Slumdog Millionaire) when cars travel over it at a speed of 70-80 km/h.

This feature combines road engineering, entertainment, and traffic safety. Engineers applied technology from hungary, creating precise grooves cut into the road surface. Tire vibrations in these grooves create sound waves. Drivers hear the song perfectly if they maintain the correct speed. Conversely, speeding distorts the melody into harsh noises, compelling drivers to slow down.

The "musical road" on Mumbai's coastal highway, passing through the upscale Breach Candy residential area and nearby apartment buildings, causes noise pollution for residents. Nirmal G./The Guardian

The "musical road" on Mumbai's coastal highway, passing through the upscale Breach Candy residential area and nearby apartment buildings, causes noise pollution for residents. Nirmal G./The Guardian

Japan pioneered the musical road concept in 2007, a model later adopted by hungary, south korea, the UAE, and the US. However, while other countries typically place "musical roads" in sparsely populated suburbs, mumbai authorities installed this one directly at a tunnel exit near Breach Candy – an area home to the super-rich, business moguls, and Bollywood stars.

Consequently, the billion-dollar project has turned residents' lives into a nightmare. Over 650 families in Breach Candy signed a collective complaint to the city authorities and the office of the chief minister of maharashtra state, demanding the removal of this feature.

Residents report the "Jai Ho" chorus plays repeatedly and non-stop from 6 am until midnight. Despite no loudspeakers on the road, vibrations and reverberations from thousands of passing vehicles penetrate buildings. To cope with this torturous noise, families keep their windows tightly shut all day.

In their complaint, residents warn that the continuous sound from the highway is a misguided safety measure. It contradicts modern urban trends to reduce noise pollution and distracts drivers, increasing accident risks. They argue that authorities are indulging in "gimmicks" instead of focusing on addressing the problem of supercars speeding on the highway at night.

The residents' dissatisfaction contrasts sharply with the reactions of outsiders. Recently, musician A.R. Rahman – the composer of "Jai Ho" – personally drove along the section and praised it on social media as a unique creative idea.

The 8-lane Coastal Road project, with a total investment of 1,6 billion USD, reduces travel time from Marine Drive to Worli from 45 minutes to just 10 minutes. However, critics suggest the infrastructure primarily serves the car-owning class, while tens of millions of mumbai residents still commute daily on crowded buses and dilapidated trains.

The "musical road" causes discomfort for residents living near the highway in Mumbai. Siliguri Times

Minh Phuong (According to The Guardian)