Mumbai, March 30: The BMC has performed a flip-flop. Within hours of deciding to permanently barricade the musical stretch of the coastal road, it decided to keep it open during the day and shut it only from 10 pm to 7 am. The 500-metre stretch plays AR Rahman's Jai Ho!! song when vehicles ply over it.
Initial decision and reversal
Earlier, the civic body decided to barricade the musical stretch every night from Friday to Sunday, but later decided to close it permanently following the demand by local residents. Owing to this, the musical stretch was barricaded for the full day on Monday, civic sources said. However, at the last minute, the decision was changed to barricade it every night.
BMC’s official statement
A press statement issued by the BMC on Monday evening said, "A 500-metre-long Melody Road has been constructed on the north-west route of the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj Coastal Road Project (South). This road has been developed to provide entertainment and enjoyment to citizens while driving. However, local residents had informed the concerned department about the noise generated while vehicles were plying on this musical route."
“In line with the demand of local residents, it has been ensured that the noise generated on the musical route is within the permissible decibel limit, keeping in mind the possibility of disturbance to the residents.”
Residents oppose partial restriction
However, members of the Breach Candy Residents Forum (BCRF), which has been up in arms against the melody road due to its continuous sound and disturbing echo, are firm that their demand was to stop the melody road permanently.
"The disturbances are not only at night, but also during the whole day. During the day, more vehicles pass by than at night. Is the BMC going to remove and put barricades every day forever?" the residents question.
Concerns over acoustic disturbance
The BCRF has been persistently saying that it is not the decibel levels, but the acoustic sound that is disturbing. They had also written to the BMC Commissioner and started a campaign against the melody stretch.
“Although the decibel level is within the permissible limit, it is the acoustic sound that makes it unbearable. Before any innovative project, the government authorities should have public consultation,” said a member of BCRF.
Project background
Created at Rs 6 crore in association with the Hungarian consulate and using Hungarian technology, the melody segment was inaugurated by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Feb 11. The project is the brainchild of former MP and Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale.
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Soon, Melody roads on the Samruddhi Expressway
Shiv Sena leader Rahul Shewale, who took the initiative to create the melody road on the Mumbai Coastal Road, said that in the next two months, work will begin to install the musical strips on the Samruddhi Expressway.
“The musical strips will be installed every 10 km on the Samruddhi Expressway. It is in the planning stage now, but it will be worked out in a month or two,” Shewale said, speaking with the Free Press Journal on Monday.
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