Mumbai’s newest traffic feature has found a place on an international stage.
A 500-metre stretch of the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Coastal Road is now making headlines after The Guardian reported on India’s first "musical road", a highway that plays Jai Ho when vehicles pass over it at a prescribed speed.
The British daily described how a motorway stretch "plays music as a safety feature" but residents living close to it call the constant sound "intrusive" and distressing.
The road, inaugurated on February 11 by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, runs past Breach Candy, one of Mumbai’s most expensive neighbourhoods, home to industrialists and film stars.
Since its opening, residents say they have been waking up to a daily loop of Jai Ho from 6am until midnight. More than 650 families have signed a formal complaint urging authorities to stop the music.
In their complaint to Mumbai’s municipal commissioner, copied to the chief minister’s office, they also flagged the "auditory distraction on a high-speed road" as a potential safety hazard.
They questioned whether a speed-control measure that doubles as a playlist is necessary on an eight-lane expressway where high-performance cars already test limits.
The tune, they say, is a constant "intrusive background noise" that has caused distress. According to the complaint, the music "enters homes", forcing many to keep their windows shut.
How the road sings
The concept is mechanical, not magical. Engineers carved grooves into the asphalt. When cars drive over them at around 70–80 km/hour, vibrations translate into the Oscar-winning Jai Ho, composed by A. R. Rahman for Slumdog Millionaire.
If drivers go too fast, the vibrations turn harsh, nudging them to slow down. Warning signs are placed 500, 100 and 60 metres before the stretch so motorists can adjust speed while still inside the tunnel.
At the inauguration, the chief minister called it a “showcase of innovation”.
Rahman himself took a spin on the road and posted on X: "India's First Musical road ⚠️ Mumbai's got a new 'musical road' grooves carved in just right to play #JaiHo song when cars zip over at the perfect speed."
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said Jai Ho was chosen as a tribute to the nation and a tune that evokes "a feeling of patriotism."
A global idea, a local backlash
The musical road idea began in Japan in 2007 after engineer Shizuo Shinoda noticed sound patterns created by a bulldozer running over grooved asphalt.
Since then, melody roads have appeared in countries including Japan, South Korea, Hungary, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Most are located in less populated areas.
Mumbai’s version runs between Nariman Point and Worli, cutting through a dense urban zone.
The larger road debate
The Coastal Road itself has been contentious since it was proposed in 2011. Built on reclaimed land from the Arabian Sea at a reported cost of $1.6 billion, the project has cut travel time between Marine Drive and Worli from 45 minutes to about 10.
Supporters call it a relief for motorists. Critics argue it largely benefits car owners while the majority of Mumbai’s 23 million residents continue to depend on crowded buses and trains.
Now, the road has acquired a soundtrack, and international scrutiny.