By Elsie Gabriel
Every September 22, people from around the world get together in the streets and neighbourhood blocks to remind the world that citizens don’t have to accept a car-dominated society. Car Free Day is the practice to be aware of our consumption of energy and to take mindful actions to reduce our energy use.
On the 29th of Sep[date postponed due to Ganesh immersion on 22s sep],members of the Young Environmentalists and several social groups like cyclechalao.com and Powai.info promoted the cycle rally held at Rodas ecotel Powai. Powai Police Chief S.Jadhav, his team as well as the Saki Naka traffic cops and the Hiranandani Commandoes under the direction of Jospeh Reddy chief of Hiranandani Administration made it a great success.
Voiced S.Jadhav Powai Police Chief at the function while flagging off about 70 riders and another 50 spectators , “It is a good drive to create awareness about respect for pedestrians and cyclists. We can walk or cycle inside our residential complex to help solve the traffic problems. We can also obey traffic rules and help the system help you.Keep the peace and keep the faith at all times!”
The Black cats from the Hiranandani Group of securities guided the cyclists on a safe lane while stopping the entire traffic for the participants thus ensuring safety and making sure that all commuters got the message loud and clear.
Enthusiastic that the innovative movement had got an amazing response for it’s second year, elaborated Joseph Reddy chiief of Administration -Hiranandnai Group, “ It is good to create awareness  so that we can help stop the traffic jams and cause less pollution by obeying the traffic guidelines !Carfree day i sjust one day of sacrifice.We need to give thought to cycles and other alternative means of transport too specially for close vicinity.”
This year in co-ordination with the police the rally closed down the Hiranandani Powai complex roads as many families and children  around the residential streets too participated .Students from the Chandraban college at Powai and the Hiranandani school also participated.Next year the event is being planned for a sunday so that many more  cycle enthusiasts from all over the city like cyclists.com can also join in.

The carfree project is a broad, emerging campaigne brought together by a shared belief that cars are far too dominant in most modern cities.
Voiced Punish Sharma chief of Rodas hotel hosting the green event, “The goal of the movement is to create places where car use is greatly reduced, to liberate road and parking space for public use It was good to see people support the traffic police and support them to follow a set of rules which has always emphasized on maintenance of cars, regular change of engine oil, P.U.C’s and switching off of engine at signals to avoid vehicular pollution. Sacrifice your car for one day or just a few hours; give yourself the cycle exercise or simple give your car a rest!”

Hopefully the civic administration will also make required provisions of footpaths and cycle tracks in the road development work undertaken in the near future, thus respecting the pedestrians and people who maybe want to cycle in the future!