A busy stretch in Madhapur was a picture of surprise on Sunday. Hundreds of citizens shook a leg, flew kites, sang, performed skits and played cricket bang in the middle of the road and all this without a single motor vehicle in sight.
It was a sort of ‘rebellion’ against automobiles, so to say, which occupy the streets, relegating people into the background, as if the roads don’t exist for them. Occupying the roads was an attempt to reconnect the average Hy-derabadi’s association with roads. Aptly named “Raahgiri”, this exercise was an inspiration from “Gandhigiri”.
A Sunday event
This would be a weekly programme and as part of the event, a 1.2 km stretch between Mind Space and Biodiversity Park in Madhapur will be thrown open to the public and out of bounds for all motor vehicles. ‘Raahgiri’ will be held every Sunday morning from 6.30 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.
The pilot project has been conceived and executed by TSIIC (Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation) in association with Cyberabad Traffic Police and various voluntary, professional and leisure forums.
Some of the activities included in Raahgiri were aerobics, Zumba, sporting events, cultural events among others. “This is a lot of fun and a completely new experience,” said P. Sameeksha, a business developer with a start-up who tried her hand at a ‘gully football’ event.
Good draw for families
Witnessing the scenes at the event, it did not quite look like the festival of kites has ended. Families in large numbers participated in the kite-flying activity on the road. “I indulged in some kite-flying and then jogged a bit. It was fun listening to some great music. Next time, I plan to get try skating here. This is a great platform to take up various leisure activities on a lazy Sunday,” said K. Sanjay, manager with an IT firm.
Jayesh Ranjan, Vice Chairman and MD, TSIIC, said that the event might be extended from the existing 1.2 km to 1.9 km till the Cyber towers after a couple of weeks. He added that the concept may be introduced in Banjara Hills and Secunderabad in future.
