Gurgaon residents sign up for a week-long car-free challenge

As many as 300 residents of the city have signed up for a week-long car-free challenge starting Monday.

They have launched a page on Facebook called ‘The Car Free Challenge’ where people, over the next one week, will narrate the hurdles they face while commuting in the city without their cars.

During the challenge, the participating residents will not opt for cabs. The initiative assumes importance at a time when the city’s air quality has been lurching between ‘very poor’ and ‘severe’ categories. Since Diwali, the city’s air quality has been a matter of concern for residents.

Apart from the worsening air quality, road accidents have also spiked in Delhi/NCR, the participants pointed out.

“The city lacks a public transport system and there is a need to spread public awareness on the issue. It will be difficult to commute without car in Gurgaon. However, we will share our experience and motivate people to join the cause,” Manu Dangi, country head, Evalueserve, said.

The residents aim to reclaim the streets by giving up on their vehicles for a week.

“I am planning to take a cycle ride to my workplace at Udyod Vihar from South City 1. It will help me identify stretches where pedestrians and cyclists have problems commuting,” Manas Fuloria, CEO, Nagarro and chairperson, NASSCOM, Regional Council for Haryana, said.

Read I Gurgaon’s public transport not so public friendly

Participants in the challenge also pointed out that commuters are not being allowed to cross some streets, as medians are blocked by high rails and foot over bridges are being built to enable crossing over. All arterial roads in the city are designed to give preference to movement of vehicles and not people, they said.

“We will submit the experience report of all participants to the district administration and to the chief minister’s window, urging them to improve air quality of the city by introducing a public transport system in the city,” Sarika Panda, trustee, Raahgiri Foundation, said.