City goes cycling for clean air

The Times of India , Monday, March 16, 2015
Correspondent : TNN
GURGAON: On a grey Sunday morning that started with light rain, more than 50 cyclists gathered in Electronic City, Udyog Vihar for the 'Anti Air Pollution Ride' to cycle for cleaner air and a cleaner Gurgaon.

The cyclists, all from Nagarro - a city-based IT company that organized the ride with support from Raahgiri Foundation - pedalled from Udyog Vihar (Phase 3) to DLF Galleria Market, in an effort to raise awareness about the problem of air pollution in metros. The group was joined by over 50 Raahgirs, who cycled 4.5 kms of the Raahgiri route.

S K Lohia, a former officer on special duty at the ministry of urban development, came all the way from Delhi with his daughter Dr Kriti Lohia, to take part in the ride and lend his support to the cause.

Lohia said the key message of the National Urban Transport Policy is to focus on moving people and not vehicles, and added it is high time Indian cities started building transport infrastructure with people, not motorcars in mind.

Megha Jha of Nagarro said, "The main purpose of this cycle ride was to make people understand that the way we move directly impacts the air we breathe and therefore, we should not indiscriminately use motorised modes of transport."

Jha said the ride will become a regular feature as air pollution is a pressing problem that can no longer be ignored (recent reports have concluded the toxic smog over NCR is getting worse). "We'll try to have it every alternate weekend," said Jha.

"Though we haven't decided the routes yet, we'll probably have one ride from Gurgaon to Dwarka and another from Gurgaon to CP."

Sarika Panda Bhatt from EMBARQ India said, "The main deterrent to using non-motorized modes of transport is safety. So, we should start planning for an inclusive and safe infrastructure keeping in mind all categories of road users."

 
SOURCE : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/gurgaon/City-goes-cycling-for-clean-air/articleshow/46577961.cms
 


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