Mumbai: Barely two days after the city’s first melody road was inaugurated, 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.Residents said they were increasingly fatigued from repeatedly raising serious civic concerns, only to find that attention appeared focused on avoidable and non-essential interventions such as amplified music on a high-speed corridor.In a letter, also marked to the Chief Minister’s Office, Maharashtra, members of the Breach Candy ALM and the Breach Candy Residents Forum (BCRF), representing over 650 families, said the initiative caused “significant distress” and served no essential public necessity.The residents said loud music was played daily from 6am to midnight along the Mumbai Coastal Road, disrupting daily life and forcing people to keep windows shut. Pointing out that Mumbai already struggles with excessive honking and traffic noise, the residents argued that amplified music contradicts ongoing efforts to reduce noise pollution and promote quieter, more liveable urban spaces.Anahita Havaldar, a resident, said, “Many prefer quiet surroundings or have their own music choices. We respectfully request that this be discontinued, and that the resources instead be directed towards essential civic improvements such as roads, pavements, and cleanliness.”Kavita Chawla, whose flat directly faces the coastal road, said the music, along with the speeding cars, echoed in their buildings all day, making it impossible to sleep. “We’re already struggling with traffic congestion and honking due to the Coastal Road exit being right near our building and numerous vehicles daily coming in and out of this locality. We request peace and quiet.”On Feb 11, the initiative was inaugurated by CM Devendra Fadnavis and DCM Eknath Shinde. Special grooves were laid over a 500-metre stretch on 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.
