India gets first ‘musical path’; Mumbai’s Coastal Road plays ‘Jai Ho’ for motorists

Mumbai’s Coastal Road has become the first ‘musical path’ in India with the installation of special rumble strips that produce the tune of the Oscar-winning song, ‘Jai Ho’, when motorists drive over them at a designated speed.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputy Eknath Shinde inaugurated the stretch on Wednesday.

This is the fifth such road in the world and the first of its kind in India, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) stated.

BMC officials said grooves and rumble strips of specific dimensions and spacing have been embedded in the northbound carriageway of the Dharamveer Swarajya Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Coastal Road.

“When vehicles pass over these strips at 60-80 kmph on the ‘Sangeet Marg’ from Nariman Point to Worli, sound waves generated by the friction of the wheels allow passengers to hear the melody of the patriotic song ‘Jai Ho’ from the film Slumdog Millionaire,” a BMC official said.

So far, similar concepts have been implemented in Hungary, Japan, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates, but this is the first such innovation in India, the official added.

Signboards have been placed at 500 metres, 100 metres, and 60 metres before the musical stretch to alert motorists and inform them about the speed required for the experience.

During the inauguration, Mr. Fadnavis and Mr. Shinde experienced the musical stretch.

Hungarian technology

“The concept is based on Hungarian technology. The intention is to implement the concept of Sangeet Marg in future as well,” Mr. Fadnavis said.

Mr. Shinde suggested implementing it on a pilot basis on the Samruddhi Expressway that connects Mumbai and Nagpur.

Consul General of Hungary Ferenc Jari, former Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale, and Additional Municipal Commissioner (Eastern Suburbs) Avinash Dhakne were present at the inauguration.