Mumbai: More than a month after the city’s first melody road was inaugurated, the BMC has decided to barricade it for now. This comes after residents from Breach Candy wrote to the municipal commissioner, raising strong objections to the music being played along the northbound stretch of the city’s coastal road, which cuts through residential neighbourhoods.A BMC official said, “Earlier this month, we asked the contractor to measure the decibel levels at the nearest building and found that it was within permissible limits. But then, as many residents aren’t in favour of it, we decided to barricade the road, and maybe we will keep it open only on special days or during weekends.”Nandini Chabria, on behalf of Breach Candy ALM and Breach Candy Residents Forum, said, “We are grateful to the municipal commissioner and the coastal road team for acknowledging and addressing the concerns of Breach Candy residents, who were subjected to the continuous ‘Jai Ho’ noise 24/7 for over a month. The sound was echoing into over 25 residential buildings, making it extremely difficult, especially for senior citizens, to rest peacefully. Due to its tonal nature, the noise carried across several homes in the area. We urge the authorities to ensure that such noise and light installations are located away from residential zones in the future.”It was on Feb 12 that the initiative was inaugurated by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The musical road begins after motorists exit the underground tunnel at Breach Candy. There are special grooves that were laid over a 500-metre stretch in the first lane next to the divider. When vehicles travel over these grooves at a speed of 70–80 kmph, the tune of ‘Jai Ho’ from the film Slumdog Millionaire can be heard inside the vehicle. Similar musical roads exist in countries such as Hungary, South Korea and the UAE, but the Mumbai installation is the first of its kind in India.In a letter sent to the BMC and also marked to the Chief Minister’s Office, members of the Breach Candy ALM and the Breach Candy Residents Forum (BCRF), representing over 650 families, said the initiative has caused “significant distress” and serves no essential public necessity.Kavita Chawla, a Breach Candy resident whose home faces the coastal road, said that this prompt action by the BMC has come as a big relief to them. “We deserved a peaceful neighbourhood,” said Chawla.
