(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Residents movement to keep chaotic roads free of vehicles on weekend mornings on a regular basis for a leisure stroll is gaining momentum.
Mumbai: A new movement to take over city roads at least for a few hours on Sunday mornings is gaining ground rapidly in Mumbai and other Indian cities. Local residents groups NGOs and other activists have succeeded in transforming what are extremely busy and chaotic roads on weekdays into leisurely paths for citizens to stroll and do their own thing on Sunday mornings.
And of course companies marketing various products and services are also trying to hitch on to this bandwagon positioning themselves as pedestrian-friendly brands that would like to support such movements.
Linking Road which runs from Bandra to Santa Cruz was once a quiet tree-lined avenue with nice little homes on both sides of the road. But recent years have seen the old bungalows being razed and replaced with high rise buildings. On weekdays Linking is as busy as any other city road in Mumbai. Hundreds of hawkers also occupy the pavements of Linking Road on most days in Bandra. But the new movement has seen Linking Road transformed into a vehicle-free zone for about four hours on Sunday mornings.
People turn out in large numbers walking up and down the broad road. Children ride bicycles or tricycles others squat by the roadside enjoying the nice weather while thousands of others go for long walks on Linking Road. Many thousands of visitors from other parts of Mumbai have also started descending on Linking road on Sunday mornings to witness this new phenomenon. In fact residents in many other localities are also toying with the idea of making major arteries in their areas vehicles-free for a few hours on Sunday mornings. Most major roads outside Mumbai’s railway stations are crowded on weekdays with millions of commuters rushing to catch trains.
Hawkers also add to the confusion selling stuff to the busy commuters. Worse despite knowing that the roads leading to the railway stations are crowded — especially in places like Grant Road Dadar Bandra Kurla Andheri Ghatkopar Mulund and Thane — many motorists derive pleasure in driving on these crowded stretches even double-parking their vehicles and inconveniencing pedestrians.
Many pedestrians and commuters would want these busy roads to be kept off limits for motorists at least during the peak hours but the civic authorities and the traffic police are unable to accede to their demand.
Fortunately the festive atmosphere that has been evident along Linking road on Sunday mornings should convince authorities in the metropolis to keep roads free of vehicles for a few hours on a regular basis to allow residents enjoy walks and to breathe free and easy.
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