The Walk of Life

A couple of years ago, the Bhure Lal Committee appointed to monitor the air of India’s most polluted cities had called a meeting of the city’s policy-makers. Pune was among the most polluted because of its overwhelming number of vehicles and it was time to act. At the meeting, a suggestion was made: turn MG Road into a walking plaza on weekends. The idea was opposed by shopkeepers on this busy commercial street who feared a dip in their sales. But the PCB went ahead, launching the plaza on a trial basis in January last year. In less than two weeks, the city had voted for the initiative with its feet. Today, online links to the city list the plaza as one of its must-see events. “It’s like back to the old days,’’ smiles Dr K.B. Grant, founder of Ruby Hall Hospital, who even at 91 is known for his passion for walking. Grant was there on the day the plaza was launched and has since then rarely missed a weekend.

There are others for whom strolling down the street is fast becoming an addictive pastime. Also, it’s hiked up the happiness quotient. Supriya Kohen, 39, who works with Life Insurance Corporation of India, says, “It’s the one place where you find everyone relaxed and happy. I look forward to being there all week and take my kids there so that they can get some real fun rather than sit in front of the TV.”

Agrees Anuradha Dutta, a media professional, “It’s great for kids as there are no vehicles around but I also see lots of youngsters and couples regularly. The best part is that I keep running into so many friends there and we catch up with each other.”

The plaza has not just spawned mini-businesses and redefined entertainment but also provided conscientious citizens a platform to espouse a cause. Last year, a candlelight procession was held on the street to demand justice in the Jessica Lall murder case; a few months ago, a group of youngsters walked down the road to raise money for a seven-year-old suffering from a rare cancer while recently a photo exhibition highlighted the continuing aftermath of the Bhopal Gas tragedy.

But perhaps the biggest argument in favour of this weekly makeover came from a report published by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board six months after the launch. It showed that the sound pollution levels had decreased from 10 to 25 per cent on various locations on MG Road on weekends. The ambient air quality had improved by up to 50 per cent—ammunition enough for the PCB chief executive officer S.K. Sardana to declare the initiative a permanent fixture.
The only dampener for the 20,000-odd people who throng the streets between 4 and 10 pm every weekend is the monsoon season, when the cars zoom back into the square. But the wait for some breathing space is worth it.