On the appeal of Punjab Governor and Administrator, UT Chandigarh, Sh. Gulab Chand Kataria, “No Vehicle Wednesday” was observed by the Chandigarh Administration to promote sustainable and environment-friendly commuting practices. Senior officers and employees of the Chandigarh Administration actively participated in the initiative by commuting through bicycles, walking, CTU buses, carpooling and e-vehicles to promote fuel conservation and sustainable mobility.
Chief Secretary Sh. H. Rajesh Prasad led by example by cycling to office under the initiative. Interacting with the media, he said that he personally uses a bicycle for fitness as well and described the campaign as a welcome step towards promoting fuel conservation, environmental protection and sustainable mobility. He said that greater public participation in such efforts would contribute towards national development and appealed to prominent citizens of the city to adopt environment-friendly modes of commuting in order to inspire others.
Among other officials who joined the initiative, Home Secretary Sh. Mandip Singh Brar, Chandigarh Police DGP Dr. Sagar Preet Hooda, IGP Sh. Pushpender Kumar, Director Public Relations Sh. Rajiv Tewari, Sports Director Sh. Sorabh Kumar Arora and Chief Engineer Sh. C.B. Ojha cycled to office, while Education Secretary Ms. Prerna Puri and Deputy Commissioner Sh. Nishant Kumar Yadav walked to their workplaces. IT Secretary Sh. D. Karthikeyan, Additional Secretary Home Sh. Amit Kumar, Director Transport Sh. Avikesh Gupta and Additional Secretary HAC Sh. Akhil Kumar used CTU buses for commuting, whereas Secretary Social Welfare Department Ms. Anuradha S. Chagti, Social Welfare Department Director Ms. Radhika Singh and Director Technical Education Ms. Palika Arora opted for carpooling, while Director School Education Sh. Nitish Singla used an e-vehicle.
The initiative aims to promote fuel conservation, reduce traffic congestion and pollution, and encourage sustainable mobility, while also highlighting the importance of healthier lifestyles and overall wellness through walking and cycling.