In June 2008, a band of Gurugram residents with a love of the outdoors united around the humble bicycle. Calling themselves PedalYatri, they would gather on weekend mornings totake to the many trails of the Aravalis. Five years later, an idea born in Bogota, Colombia, made itself at home here.
Just before sunrise on Sundays, ‘Raahgiri’ would ride into town with its spirit of reclaiming the roads, giving the city’s residents a chance to make the most of the hours when the streets became theirs.
Every Sunday, ‘Ciclovia’ turns 75 miles of Bogota’s streets into a bicycle superhighway, and no-one but cyclists and pedestrians are allowed on the roads — Raahgiri was exactly that,” reminds Rajesh Kalra, founder of PedalYatri and a trustee of Raahgiri.
“Town planners seem to forget everyone except motorists. We wanted to reclaim some of these spaces for non-motorists, if not forever, at least for a day or two in
the week. And that was the start.” This is how communities in Gurugram have come together, finding ways to bond and stay healthy at the same time, very much part of an urban experiment that expanded here and spread out there.
But, beyond offering Gurugrammers the chance to take back their city, Raahgiri also had a bigger purpose in mind: to create a stress-free and healthy way of living, a long-lasting solution that ensured our future mental and physical well-being. Sadly, almost
a decade on, little has changed, for all the motivation and good vibes Raahgiri engendered. The flyover and underpass are still prioritised over the walkway and cycle track.
Inactive govt, active citizens
Still, for all the half-measures taken, the gap between big public works announcements and a neglected infrastructure has given rise to an involved citizenry. Proactive women and men determined to take the initiative — and take matters into their own hands if required, to fix a streetlight, patch up a broken road or repair a damaged pavement.
Through groups like Let’s Walk Gurugram and Gurugram Road Runners, all formed purely for recreational purposes, as well as to promote outdoor activities, their quiet advocacy has contributed positively to the conversation on public spaces, and how these should be made accessible to all.
For instance, back in the autumn of 2013, a 4.8km stretch (later extended to 11.3km) in New Gurugram was given over to anyone who wanted to pedal away without being honked at by vehicles, or take a stroll without having to worry about unruly traffic. When Raahgiri 1.0 began, organisers were expecting some 2,000 to turn up.
Instead, approximately 10,000 rocked up at the loop. And it is the participation of people from all walks of life, alongside corporate backing through CSR funds and buy-in from the local authorities — including police and MCG — that helped make Raahgiri a success.
Right of access
The cities with the best standard of life are those that are designed for the convenience and comfort of walkers and riders, where distances don’t feel long if they can be traversed on foot or via bicycle. But it doesn’t speak highly of urban design if only a car can help you reach a destination that’s barely a couple of kilometres away. Alas, this is the ground reality in Gurugram, and the challenges are more pronounced the further south you go.
The lack of paths for walking and cycling is a sore point with the many who don’t have personal transport (or who do, but use it either for out-of-town trips or during an emergency), or with those who won’t even entertain thoughts of taking the cycle to office or market—because the streets just aren’t safe enough.
Just before sunrise on Sundays, ‘Raahgiri’ would ride into town with its spirit of reclaiming the roads, giving the city’s residents a chance to make the most of the hours when the streets became theirs.
Every Sunday, ‘Ciclovia’ turns 75 miles of Bogota’s streets into a bicycle superhighway, and no-one but cyclists and pedestrians are allowed on the roads — Raahgiri was exactly that,” reminds Rajesh Kalra, founder of PedalYatri and a trustee of Raahgiri.
“Town planners seem to forget everyone except motorists. We wanted to reclaim some of these spaces for non-motorists, if not forever, at least for a day or two in
the week. And that was the start.” This is how communities in Gurugram have come together, finding ways to bond and stay healthy at the same time, very much part of an urban experiment that expanded here and spread out there.
But, beyond offering Gurugrammers the chance to take back their city, Raahgiri also had a bigger purpose in mind: to create a stress-free and healthy way of living, a long-lasting solution that ensured our future mental and physical well-being. Sadly, almost
a decade on, little has changed, for all the motivation and good vibes Raahgiri engendered. The flyover and underpass are still prioritised over the walkway and cycle track.
Inactive govt, active citizens
Still, for all the half-measures taken, the gap between big public works announcements and a neglected infrastructure has given rise to an involved citizenry. Proactive women and men determined to take the initiative — and take matters into their own hands if required, to fix a streetlight, patch up a broken road or repair a damaged pavement.
Through groups like Let’s Walk Gurugram and Gurugram Road Runners, all formed purely for recreational purposes, as well as to promote outdoor activities, their quiet advocacy has contributed positively to the conversation on public spaces, and how these should be made accessible to all.
For instance, back in the autumn of 2013, a 4.8km stretch (later extended to 11.3km) in New Gurugram was given over to anyone who wanted to pedal away without being honked at by vehicles, or take a stroll without having to worry about unruly traffic. When Raahgiri 1.0 began, organisers were expecting some 2,000 to turn up.
Instead, approximately 10,000 rocked up at the loop. And it is the participation of people from all walks of life, alongside corporate backing through CSR funds and buy-in from the local authorities — including police and MCG — that helped make Raahgiri a success.
Right of access
The cities with the best standard of life are those that are designed for the convenience and comfort of walkers and riders, where distances don’t feel long if they can be traversed on foot or via bicycle. But it doesn’t speak highly of urban design if only a car can help you reach a destination that’s barely a couple of kilometres away. Alas, this is the ground reality in Gurugram, and the challenges are more pronounced the further south you go.
The lack of paths for walking and cycling is a sore point with the many who don’t have personal transport (or who do, but use it either for out-of-town trips or during an emergency), or with those who won’t even entertain thoughts of taking the cycle to office or market—because the streets just aren’t safe enough.