2. India’s First Musical Highway: Mumbai Coastal Road’s Innovation

The inauguration of the \'Sangeet Marg\' on Mumbai’s Coastal Road marks a significant milestone in Indian infrastructure, blending engineering with psychological road safety measures. By utilizing specialized rumble strips to play the melody of \'Jai Ho\', the project introduces a novel approach to speed management and driver engagement. Core Summary of the Development • First in India: Mumbai’s Coastal Road (Dharamveer Swarajya Rakshak Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Coastal Road) is now home to India’s first \'musical path\', making India the fifth country globally to adopt this technology. • Acoustic Engineering: The system uses grooves and rumble strips of precise dimensions and spacing embedded in the northbound carriageway between Nariman Point and Worli. • Speed-Linked Melody: The song ‘Jai Ho’ is generated via wheel-road friction only when vehicles maintain a specific speed range of 60-80 kmph, serving as an auditory speed-governing tool. • International Collaboration: The project utilizes Hungarian technology and was inaugurated in the presence of the Consul General of Hungary, highlighting global technical exchange in urban planning. • Psychological Safety: Beyond entertainment, the musical stretch is designed to prevent driver fatigue and encourage adherence to speed limits through positive reinforcement. • Future Expansion: Following this pilot, the Maharashtra government is considering implementing similar \'Sangeet Margs\' on the Samruddhi Expressway to curb accidents caused by \'highway hypnosis\'. Key Definitions • Musical Road: A stretch of road which, when driven over, causes a tactile vibration and audible rumbling transmitted through the wheels into the vehicle body in the form of a musical tune.• Rumble Strips: Longitudinal or transverse grooves on the road surface intended to alert drivers through physical vibration and sound. • Highway Hypnosis: A mental state in which a person can drive a truck or other automobile great distances, responding to external events in the expected, safe, and correct manner with no recollection of having consciously done so. Constitutional and Legal Context • Article 21: The Right to Life includes the right to safe roads and efficient infrastructure. Innovative safety measures like musical roads fall under the state\'s obligation to protect citizens. • Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Amended 2019): Provides the framework for road safety standards and the installation of traffic control devices. Section 110 empowers the Central Government to make rules regarding the construction and maintenance of motor vehicles and road safety gadgets. • The National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988: While this project is under the BMC, the legal precedent for such infrastructure is governed by NHAI guidelines for national connectivity. Additional Key Points • Technical Precision: The pitch of the musical note is determined by the spacing of the grooves; closer grooves produce higher-pitched notes, while wider spacing produces lower notes. • Environmental Impact: While innovative, planners must balance the \'noise pollution\' aspect for residential areas nearby, though the Coastal Road’s location partially mitigates this. • Smart Cities Mission: This project aligns with the objectives of the Smart Cities Mission by integrating technology into urban mobility to enhance the \'experience\' of public infrastructure. Conclusion The \'Sangeet Marg\' on Mumbai’s Coastal Road is more than a vanity project; it is a sophisticated application of physics and engineering to address road safety. By linking the auditory reward of a patriotic melody to speed compliance, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has set a precedent for \'nudge theory\' in Indian traffic management. As India expands its expressway network, such innovations could play a vital role in reducing accidents related to monotony and over-speeding. UPSC Relevance • GS Paper III: Infrastructure (Roads, Energy, Ports, etc.); Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. • GS Paper IV (Ethics): Nudge Theory and its application in public administration to ensure law-abiding behavior among citizens. • Mains Perspective: Assessing the role of innovative infrastructure in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.6 (halving global deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents).