Bhubaneswar, Jan. 13: Sunday might be the day when the busy Janpath will get some time to relax and breathe.
The state government has finally decided to observe Raahgiri Day on Sunday, after postponing the event thrice in the past two months. Initially, the officials had agreed to observe it on December 20. Later, it was shifted to December 27 and January 10, but both didn't materialise due to various administrative reasons.
Residents will have a rare opportunity to see the busy Janpath without vehicular traffic. The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has started clearing the decks for observing the first no-vehicle day in the state capital. The event will be organised in collaboration with the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA).
Raahgiri, which derives its name from Gandhigiri, is meant to encourage the use of cycling, walking and public transport. It promotes non-motor transport to save the environment. Some other cities in the country, including New Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad and Banglore, are already observing the day. People in any age group can participate in the event.
BMC mayor Ananta Narayan Jena during a press briefing today said that the event, which has seven components such as cycling, walking, skating, music, yoga, drawing, painting and health camps, will continue for four hours from 6.30am to 10.30am on Sunday.
"We have roped in tourism and culture department for organising cultural events, school and mass education and higher education department for encouraging students to participate in the event, sports and youth affairs department for conducting sports activities and health department for coordinating yoga and health camp," said Jena.
In preparation for the day, the BDA will conduct an anti-eviction drive between Ram Mandir and Master Canteen Square. The BMC officials and police would barricade the road at both the ends on Sunday. While the corporation has advised the participants to come with their own skates and mat for yoga, it has decided to provide nearly 50 cycles at the event site.
"We have decided to promote non-motorist traffic in the city and has decided to observe first Raahgiri Day of the city this coming Sunday. We will observe the day on a pilot basis for nearly four Sundays and if we succeed, we will declare each Sunday, a Raahgiri Day for the residents of Bhubaneswar. We have planned to provide infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclist rather than motorists and this day is an initiative under this," said BMC commissioner Krishan Kumar.
The corporation has also planned to provide parking space for the participants who will arrive to the site in cars or bikes. The corporation will put one mobile toilet for the residents, while the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation will set up a food court. The officials have also engaged different institution as the coordinators under the seven different components of the Raahgiri Day.
The Bhubaneswar Cycling and Adventure Club will coordinate the cycling activities, while Odisha Roller Skating Association will monitor skating. Utkal Sangeeta Mahavidyala and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology will trace the activities under music and culture, Directorate of Ayush will coordinate the yoga activities and Aditya Care Hospital will put up free health camp.
