‘No-vehicle Wednesday’: Chandigarh bosses, staff trade car keys for cycles, bus rides

Chandigarh: Swapping engines for pedals and pavements, the UT administration on Wednesday rolled out 'no-vehicle Wednesday', responding to an appeal by Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, and echoing the Prime Minister’s call to conserve fuel and cut reliance on fossil fuels.

To facilitate participation, the administration arranged dedicated buses operated by the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) on 17 routes exclusively for UT employees. Officials said while the city already has a public transport network, these special services were introduced to provide more reliable and predictable commuting options, encouraging employees to shift away from private vehicles for the day.

Senior officers and employees of various departments participated in large numbers, opting for bicycles, walking, CTU buses, carpooling and e-vehicles as part of a coordinated push to reduce fuel consumption, ease traffic congestion and cut vehicular emissions.

UT chief secretary H Rajesh Prasad led from the front by cycling to office. Interacting with mediapersons, Prasad said he regularly uses a bicycle for fitness and described the initiative as a welcome step towards promoting fuel conservation, environmental protection and sustainable mobility.

He noted that such campaigns not only reduce the environmental burden but also help build a culture of responsible commuting.

Stressing the need for wider public participation, Prasad said collective efforts in this direction could significantly contribute to national development and urged prominent citizens to adopt eco-friendly modes of transport to inspire others.

Among other officials who joined the initiative, home secretary Mandip Singh Brar, director general of police Sagar Preet Hooda, inspector general of police Pushpender Kumar, director public relations Rajiv Tewari, sports director Sorabh Kumar Arora and chief engineer C B Ojha cycled to their offices, setting an example for others.

Education secretary Prerna Puri and deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav chose to walk to work, highlighting the campaign’s emphasis on both sustainability and personal health. Meanwhile, IT secretary D Karthikeyan, additional secretary (home) Amit Kumar, director transport Avikesh Gupta and additional secretary HAC Akhil Kumar made use of CTU buses.

At the same time, secretary social welfare Anuradha S Chagti, director social welfare Radhika Singh and director technical education Palika Arora opted for carpooling, while director school education Nitish Singla commuted using an e-vehicle.

Officials said the initiative is not mandatory but voluntary in nature, aimed at encouraging behavioural change rather than enforcing restrictions. By combining dedicated transport arrangements with active participation from senior functionaries, the administration hopes to send a strong message on the importance of sustainable urban mobility.

The campaign, officials added, is expected to not only reduce congestion and pollution levels in the city but also promote healthier lifestyles through walking and cycling, reinforcing the broader push towards cleaner and greener urban living.

Quotes: Driving change

Conservation of natural resources is the need of the hour and every citizen must contribute towards this cause. Even small initiatives can become the foundation of major change.

Gulab Chand Kataria | UT administrator

Collective efforts in this direction can significantly contribute to national development. I urge prominent citizens to adopt eco-friendly modes of transport to inspire others

H Rajesh Prasad | UT chief secretary