Mumbai's 'Musical Road' Hits Sour Note with Residents
Residents in Mumbai's affluent neighborhood plead for relief from the constant 'intrusive' noise of the country's first musical road designed as a safety feature.
The residents of one of India's most upscale neighborhoods are finding little solace in the country's first-ever 'musical road' along the recently opened Coastal Road seafront expressway in Mumbai. Designed to play the pulsating Oscar-winning tune 'Jai Ho' from the movie Slumdog Millionaire when vehicles drive on it at slower speeds, the musical road has instead turned into a constant and distressing soundtrack for those living nearby.
The engineering marvel meant to serve as a safety feature has instead become a nuisance, with locals describing the noise as 'intrusive' and a source of ongoing distress in their daily lives. As one resident lamented, 'It's driving us crazy.'
The concept of a musical road is not new, with similar installations found in South Korea, the United States, and elsewhere. The idea is that the grooves cut into the road surface create vibrations that translate into a musical melody as vehicles drive over them at specific speeds.
While the intent may be to alert drivers and promote safety, the reality for Mumbai's residents is a never-ending barrage of sound that has disrupted the tranquility of their neighborhood. Many are now pleading for respite and a solution that doesn't infringe on their quality of life.
One resident, speaking on condition of anonymity, shared their frustration: 'It's constant. We can't even open our windows anymore without being assaulted by this intrusive noise. It's affecting our sleep, our work, and our overall well-being. Something needs to be done.'
Local authorities have acknowledged the residents' concerns and indicated they are exploring potential remedies, including adjusting the road design or implementing sound barriers. However, with the musical road being a novel infrastructure, finding a satisfactory solution may prove challenging.
As the debate over the future of Mumbai's musical road continues, residents remain hopeful that their pleas for relief will be heard and that a compromise can be reached to address their quality-of-life issues. In the meantime, the rhythmic sounds of 'Jai Ho' continue to echo through the neighborhood, a constant reminder of the unintended consequences of this innovative, yet disruptive, road design.
Source: The Guardian
