The Dialogue and Development Commission (DDC), in partnership with the Raahgiri Foundation and WRI India, will be organising six ‘Raahgiri Day’ events in Delhi over the next three months on the theme of ‘Yuddh Pradushan Ke Viruddh’.
According to an official statement, the first such event will be organised on 14 November on the occasion of Children’s Day at Patparganj. The event will take place on the stretch of the road between BSES Yamuna Power Limited office and Sarvodaya Kanya Bal Vidyalaya in West Vinod Nagar, Patparganj, in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as the chief guest.
A range of activities such as walking, running, cycling, skating, street games, music band, painting, dancing, performing arts, yoga, aerobics, Zumba, etc, will be organised. The event will be attended by
Delhi residents, especially children, artists and fitness experts among others.
The statement said the events are being organised in the backdrop of the ‘Yuddh Pradushan Ke Viruddh’ campaign recently launched by the Chief Minister to encourage citizens to take individual responsibility for reducing air pollution by minimising the usage of their private vehicles by at least one day a week (‘Bas Ek Trip Kam’) among other measures.
The central idea behind these events is to allow people to experience a street without cars which can help them re-imagine what the streets can be and can inculcate important behavioural changes in them. Creating open streets and public spaces for such activities will also promote public health, well-being, fitness, togetherness and joy.
Sisodia said, “It is our collective duty to come forward and reduce pollution on an individual and community level. We can together build a foundation for a healthier Delhi by taking small steps such as switching off vehicles at traffic signals and switching over to public transport.”
Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission Vice-Chairperson Jasmine Shah said, “Reducing pollution by promoting sustainable mobility is a core aspect of the ‘Yuddh Pradushan ke Viruddh’ campaign launched by the Chief Minister.