Mumbai is seeing mounting criticism of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for investing in cosmetic ‘beautification’ initiatives such as the Worli musical road and widespread LED installations, while essential civic infrastructure remains inadequate.
On February 11, Mumbai introduced India’s first ‘musical road’—a 500-metre stretch on the northbound lane of the coastal road at Worli. Designed with rumble strips that play the Oscar-winning “Jai Ho” from Slumdog Millionaire when vehicles travel at 70–80 kmph, the feature was inaugurated by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. “Mumbai has added an unusual flourish to its infrastructure story,” gushed a headline.
However, many residents argue that such “flourishes” do little to improve daily life. Citizens and urban planners say the city urgently needs walkable pavements, better traffic discipline, accessible green spaces, affordable housing and well-maintained recreational areas built around its natural assets like wetlands and water bodies.
Concerns have also surfaced at Bandra’s Carter Road promenade, where digging began to install 35 commercial LED hoardings along the 1.2-kilometre waterfront. Developed through citizen efforts led by the late Darryl D’Monte, the Bandra West Residents’ Association and architect-activist PK Das, the promenade has long served as a cherished public space. Former corporator Asif Zakaria objected to the move, calling it “complete commercialisation of a public open space”.
Environmentalists, including Rohit Joshi, have also approached the Bombay High Court to challenge decorative lighting projects rolled out under the Rs 1,700 crore beautification plan launched in 2022.
Critics point to the imbalance in spending. In the BMC’s 2025–26 budget of over Rs 74,000 crore, only Rs 100 crore was earmarked for revamping footpaths across 14 roads spanning 16.55 kilometres—despite pedestrians accounting for nearly 45 per cent of city trips and about 40 per cent of road fatalities.
Urban experts argue that without a coherent vision, such cosmetic projects divert funds from urgent needs. They maintain that beautification cannot substitute for safe, reliable and inclusive infrastructure that Mumbai’s residents depend on every day.
Source: The Free Press Journal
