Smart Cities Mission (SCM) under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has planned numerous events across 100 Smart Cities during 26 September 2021 to 3 October 2021 as part of the celebrations of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) to commemorate 75th year of India's Independence.
In line with the values of 'health, safety and self-empowerment for all' encouraged by the Smart Cities Mission, the CEOs of the 100 Smart Cities are hereby requested to organize a campaign titled "Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Freedom 2 Walk & Cycle", in smart cities in support of AKAM celebrations across the nation. This campaign, in alignment with the India Cycles4Change and the Streets4People Challenges, encourages cities to build on the momentum gained from these challenges and to reclaim their streets for cyclists and pedestrians.
Under this Freedom 2 Walk & Cycle Campaign, the Smart Cities Mission encourages cities to host walk & cycle campaigns between 1st to 3rd October 2021. The campaigns can be based on the following themes & activities:
- Empower women to walk & cycle
- Walking and cycling initiatives at night welcoming women, children & elderly onto the streets.
- Handlebar surveys on cycles & walking audits to identify the dark spots for pedestrians and cyclists.
- Physical interventions to address the dark spots & improve road safety for women.
- Cycle training camps to teach women to cycle .
- Identify junior walk & bicycle champions
- Identifying junior walk & bicycle champions to inspire more initiatives and participation from children.
- Handlebar surveys on cycles & walking audits with children to identify the dark spots for pedestrians and cyclists.
- Conduct events for all from “7 to 75” age, including other vulnerable groups such as the toddlers, young children, elderly and disabled.
- Get more pedestrians and cyclists on the streets
- Open street events, to reimagine streets as safer, healthier and happier spaces without vehicular traffic.
- Cycle rentals/sharing to ensure access to cycles.
- Host Walkathons, Cyclothons and Cycle Rallies along visible city corridors to build support for walking and cycling initiatives.
- Cycle repair clinics to ensure better maintenance and use of cycles.
- Cycle donation drives to put unused cycles to use by giving it to the ones in need.
- Change everyday behaviour through campaigns
- Test out cycle2work, cycle2shop, walk2shop, walk2work campaigns to nudge citizens to pick-up the habit of walking and cycle for their daily commute.
- Make walking & cycling safe and fun through temporary interventions
- Test segregated cycle lanes, safe intersections, traffic calming elements to make the streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians.
- Host heritage walks & cycle rides to explore the historic landmarks of the city and in turn nudge the citizens to pick-up the habit of walking and cycling.
- Health awareness walks/cycle rides to raise the awareness on the need and benefits of walking and cycling.