Streetsmart Mumbai reclaims traffic-free road

MUMBAI: A three-year-old on a brand new tri-cycle pedaled and smiled shyly as his mother in a chic outfit gently held on to the handle to guide him. The two enjoyed an entire empty stretch of SV road from Bandra to Santa Cruz. A few minutes away bang in the middle of the same road, another little cycle, with trainers, had a barefoot six-year-old carrying her two-year-old sister double seat. Their father, a driver, placed a caring hand on the younger daughter’s back. It was 10 am, on a Sunday morning in Mumbai and the streets were truly equal.As nearly 7 km of the SV Road and Linking Road opened up at 7 am exclusively to pedestrians, cyclists, roller skaters, zumba dancers, animal lovers and others who were not on any vehicle, more than 50,000 people of all ages in the city bonded over the fun provided by Equal Streets a citizen’s movement supported in Mumbai by The Times of India. For the fifth Sunday running, it attracted not just tots and teens, but their stay-at-home or working parents, grandparents and single folks in equal numbers.The Shoppers’ Stop corner in Bandra was perhaps the most vibrant with Zumba near the zebra crossing getting the adrenalin up and nail art among other activities warming people’s heart. Dr Parul Deshpande, an eye surgeon, from Andheri changed her usual serious routine and shook a leg as fitness trainers turned kerb sides into pulsating gyms. They attracted the biggest crowds and inhibitions were fast shed. A 70-year-old Sushila Patel in Khar joined in the fun as she copied the aerobic and Zumba moves along with her equally elderly sister Kamala. Both were all smiles, their joy unadulterated.“Equal Streets has brought much fun to a Sunday which otherwise can be boring or wasted,’’ said a lawyer S C Naidu as he walked the whole traffic free distance shaded by trees alongside Mumbai’s better roads. “It should be extended till noon,’’ he said as the 500-odd policemen on bandobast duty blew the whistle at 11 am to open the roads to noisy vehicles again.The gamut of activities had something for everyone. “My child loves animals,’’ said Dipali Mehta a jewelry designer as she took photographs of her three-year-old boldly petting a guinea pig and a large but gentle Alsatian opposite Khar police station. A rabbit and a duck also vied for attention and were showered with much. The Bhanvans Nature Club ensured city kids got a bit of the zoo within easy reach. Archery was a hit too with kids and adults as were the free meditation techniques of Shahaja yoga. The three-step rhythmic breathing by Deepak Dhingra rejuvenated the participants who came in droves.The IITians from Powai kicked in their forthcoming Mood Indigo street football event on vehicle-free expanse of SV road. The newest event--Goal-- in the festival line up for this year, the elimintions attracted 16 teams including two from the Pune region. Eight qualified in the knock-outs as footballers and those watching had a blast.A free detection camps organized by Cancer patients Aids Association conducted breast checks, pap smears and blood tests. Dia C, a 36-year-old art teacher who visited the centre was all praises. “It is an event the city needs.’’ Many others concurred with her. On Linking road Dhanraj, a peppy trainer, pushed people into doing burpies and situps and prodded them out of any hangups. Khyati, an advertising executive on Linking Road said she enjoyed the day as did Anusha Haria and her young family of four on a vacation from the US. Abbas Shahiwalla as he cycled on SV said “there must be more dedicated cycling lanes permanently.’’ Nearly 200 cycles were given on free hire. Few returned with dented fenders or punctured tyres, but it didn’t diminish the enthusiasm on display as people showed up from far flung suburbs too, to be a part of the beautiful Sunday.