Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday, February 11, announced that the recently introduced “melody road” feature along Mumbai’s Coastal Road will soon be extended up to Bandra. Speaking to mediapersons after inaugurating the nation’s first musical road stretch on the Coastal Road corridor, Shinde said the current section measures 500 metres and plans are underway to lengthen it further. He added that the initiative aims to enhance the driving experience while promoting road safety and innovation. The Deputy CM described the project as a unique blend of infrastructure development and creative engineering designed to engage motorists in a novel way.
The musical installation has been laid on the northbound lane connecting Nariman Point to Worli. When vehicles travel across the specially engineered grooves at a speed of approximately 70 to 80 kilometres per hour, drivers can distinctly hear the tune of the Academy Award-winning track ‘Jai Ho’ from the film Slumdog Millionaire. The sound is generated as tyres pass over precisely spaced rumble strips embedded into the surface. To ensure motorists are prepared, signboards have been positioned 500 metres, 100 metres and 60 metres ahead of the stretch, informing drivers in advance about the musical zone.
Shinde further stated that besides ‘Jai Ho’, additional patriotic and inspirational songs may be introduced on the Coastal Road in the future. The project has been developed using carefully calibrated grooves that create vibrations, which translate into musical notes when vehicles maintain the recommended speed. Officials highlighted that this is the fifth such musical road initiative globally and the first of its kind in India. The idea traces its roots to Japan in 2007, when engineer Shizuo Shinoda accidentally discovered the sound-producing effect during roadwork, eventually leading to similar projects in Hungary, South Korea and the UAE.