12 { Abhishek Behl/ FG }
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fter months of waiting, Raahgiri Day finally arrived at Palam Vihar (across the National Highway), much to the delight of residents – who could now soak in the Raahgiri experience nearer home. At 6am itself there are at least 2,000 people gathered at Ansal Plaza, which is likely to remain the focal point. A stream of young boys and girls, on their cycles and skates, and badminton rackets in hand, were seen making their way to the venue. A large stage had been built on the road, where songs, dances and the customary speeches were delivered during the course of the Event. Soon the 2.5km loop was filled with young couples and their kids, along with a large number of elderly residents of this part of the City. Sarika Panda Bhatt of Embarq India, who has been closely associated with this Event, said, “We had been looking to introduce Raahgiri in this area and were delighted that the local RWA came forward to organise it in collaboration with us and the District Administration.” Once the stakeholders were identified, the organisers approached the Police Commissioner Alok Mittal, who has been a supporter of this concept from day one. What followed was a process to identify the track, and any possible bottlenecks that could hamper the movement of traffic in the area. The 2.5km long car-free corridor witnessed people dancing to the tunes of English and Hindi songs; a group of young skaters in their yellow dresses also showed their skills; while cycling groups from across the City, and even from Delhi, arrived in Palam Vihar to show their support for this Event which promotes non-motorised travel in the City. Vikram Singh, a resident of Sector 23, who had come for a walk, said that Raahgiri Day is an excellent event and should be promoted in a big way in the area. “We don’t have a big sports ground or a park nearby where people can play sports, cycle or do yoga,” said Singh. Residents asserted that this Event would help people in connecting with each other; and in an era when social media is preferred over meetings in person, the success of Raahgiri Day showed how much people preferred to spend time with each other - and in an open public space. Rashmi Sharma, a resident of Sector 22, who had come to the Event with her husband and kids, said that she was not aware that this area had such a huge cosmopolitan population. “I always thought that all areas on this side, in ‘old’ Gurgaon, were very different - without the modernity of malls and other facilities, and inhabited by only local residents. This Event has changed my perception of the area,” she said. The women also appreciated the support being provided by the Police department, which has been instrumental in ensuring that this Event remains safe. Nalini Kumar, another visitor, and a first timer to the Event, said that she had been following Raahgiri on the Facebook page and was delighted to know that this was being introduced in Palam Vihar. “This Event is good as it gives space to everyone - the kids, the young and the old alike - to have fun in a safe environment. It also promotes cycling and walking in a big way”, she asserted. The residents of Gurgaon, impressed by the Raahgiri spirit, want that all the internal roads in the City should be reserved for cycles for a couple of hours every Sunday. This however is easier said than done, said a Traffic Police official on duty at the Event, who opineed that Gurgaon roads would need a massive upgradation to push cycling on a large scale - and with harsh summers, the prospect of cycling to work was a brave but maybe foolhardy thought. The enthusiasm of the Raahgiri proponents, however, remains high, and they assert that the manner in which this spirit has made inroads in the City, the time is not far away when non-motorised transport will regain its due
S pecial F eature
25 April -1 May 2014
Raahgiri in Palam Vihar
PRAKHAR PANDEY
share - in popular imagination and on the roads. The Gurgaon Administration has fully backed the Event, and Police Commissioner Alok Mittal, who had come to the venue, asked the Palam Vihar RWA and residents living in areas close by to participate in this campaign with enthusiasm. He said that it is a movement for community involvement and participation, with an aim to connect people with each other and make the residents also feel a sense of connect with their City. Mittal also appreciated the RWA’s role. “If RWAs in other parts of Gurgaon are ready to take the initiative, we can take Raahgiri to their areas as well”, he said. The Palam Vihar RWA, which was organising the Event, said that they had consulted a majority of the residents in their colony and nearby areas, to ensure that there was a broad consensus. Sunil Yadav, President, Palam Vihar RWA, said that the number of participants should increase appreciably in the coming months, and they will look to extend the loop to 5km - which is quite feasible. The participants on the first day said that they were happy with how it had been managed. A large number of them hired cycles, which were made available for free on the submission of an ID proof. Gaje Singh Kablana, MCG Councillor, who had also come to the Event, welcomed the Raahgiri spirit and said that it was a healthy way to promote cycling and walking. “Even more important is the need for us to keep our cars and motorcycles indoors and walk to this place. The people can also connect with others, discuss local events and form opinions,” he said. While there was palpable enthusiasm among the youth, who could be seen playing cricket and running on the loop, aware that there would be no cars endangering their lives, the participation of the old and senior citizens was the most inspiring. Vijay Sharma, 74, a resident of Sector 21, said that he had even participated in the ‘original’ Raahgiri. “I think this Event will make the Gurgaon Administration aware that they need more public spaces, parks and safe roads, where people can intermingle and form a common identity,” said Yadav. The Raahgiri movement is clearly also being seen as a unifying force, which will bring ‘old’ and ‘new’ Gurgaon and Gurgaonites together – and hopefully help bridge the class differences in a City where they are becoming sharper by the day. The participation by NGOs and schools like Literacy India and Happy School, which are working to help the children of weaker sections, is a good move in this direction. Rakesh Rana, a visitor, said that it is good for kids from underprivileged backgrounds to come here and participate in this Event, as it will give them confidence to engage with others in the society. The participation of a large number of people from Chauma, Carterpuri and Mollaheda Villages is also an indicator that the Raahgiri spirit has managed to impress the locals as much as the migrants. Ashok Rana, President of Sector 23 RWA, said that he had approached the organisers to ensure that Raahgiri came to this area, as people wanted that such a colourful and social happening should be held here as well. While welcoming Raahgiri, he wants more RWAs to be involved, as this could broadbase the Event and help it in becoming bigger. The success of this Event can be further gauged from the fact that finally around 5,000 people visited the venue in Palam Vihar. Sarika from Embarq said that the concept of Raahgiri has not only become popular, but it is also getting global accolades. A Washington-based NGO, The Earth Day Network (TEDN), has listed it amongst one of the most inspiring sustainability campaigns globally. A special event in being organised by TEDN to make this announcement, and its teams will also be visiting the venues in Gurgaon, to see first-hand the revolution that is taking place on Gurgaon roads.u