Golfer Jyoti Randhawa to pedal with police this car-free day

To boost public participation during car-free day, observed every Tuesday, golfer Jyoti Singh Randhawa will pedal with the city police next week.

To boost public participation during car-free day, observed every Tuesday, golfer Jyoti Singh Randhawa will pedal with the city police next week.

Joint commissioner of police Saurabh Singh rides a cycle with other police officers on car-free day in Gurgaon on October 20. (Parveen Kumar/HT File Photo)

Randhawa, a professional golfer, was ranked in the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking several times between 2004 and 2009. The police invited Randhawa for the weekly event as they feel it will help create awareness among people and increase participation.

“The reason behind inviting a celebrity for car-free day is that it helps in catching the attention of people. Residents of Gurgaon have been enthusiastically taking part in car-free day but, it is time more people start using public and non-motorised modes of transport. Talks with other government agencies and private organisations are on in this regard,” Saurabh Singh, joint commissioner of police (headquarters), said.

Four major arterial stretches in Gurgaon — Netaji Subhash Marg, Golf Course Road, Cyber City and Electronic City in Udyog Vihar — go car-free once a week. The initiative aims to decongest Gurgaon’s road network by promoting non-motorised and public transport.

The police will also meet several corporate firms, residential welfare associations (RWA) and schools to rope in more stakeholders for the initiative.

The police are also in talks with the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) and Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) to lay permanent cycle tracks and footpaths along all arterial roads in the city. This will help keep pedestrians and cyclists safe.