Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar rode a motorcycle to mark 'car-free' Tuesday while going to the airport in Karnal. This comes as Khattar on September 1 announced Tuesdays as 'car-free' days in the city.
The video shows the chief minister riding a two-wheeler along with his security team. In the later part of the video, he could be seen heading towards his helicopter at the airport. This gesture was followed by Gharaunda MLA Harvinder Kalyan, Deputy Commissioner Anish Yadav, Superintendent of Police Shashank Kumar Sawan, and all security personnel, who also reached the airport without using cars. Besides several employees reached the offices on bicycles.
In a post on X, Khattar wrote, “ Be it “Car Free Day” or the resolve to make “Drug-free Haryana”, it cannot be accomplished without public cooperation. I also made a small effort to reduce car traffic today by traveling to Karnal Airport by bike on “Car Free Day”. I hope that the aware people of the state will take this message forward and inspire people to give up their cars ‘just for one day,” he added.
The first ‘car-free’ Tuesday on September 5 saw a good response as most of the officials of the Karnal administration extended support to the initiative to cut vehicular emission in the city.
On September 1, the chief minister announced that every Tuesday will be observed as a ‘car-free’ day in Karnal and gave directions to the DC. As part of this initiative, all government officials will be required to travel by bicycle on Tuesdays, even a special non-motorised zone will be identified in which motorised vehicles will not be allowed.
The chief minister said that he would ride on a bicycle if he came to Karnal on Tuesday. He made this announcement while addressing a gathering of youth during the flagging-off ceremony of the 'Drug-free Haryana Cyclothon rally' in Karnal.
Highlighting the significance of this initiative, Khattar said that collective efforts to reduce traffic congestion in the city can yield visible results for society as a whole. He underscored the importance of a clean environment in today's modern era, stating that trees and plants play an important role in providing shade, fruits, and even contributing to rain. He stressed that our connection to nature is irreplaceable, as it has endowed us with precious resources that need protection. Environmental conservation is paramount for our life, he added.
Appealing to the citizens, the Chief Minister encouraged everyone to use bicycles or motorcycles for their daily commuting on Car Free Day. By adopting these modes of transport, individuals can contribute to a pollution-free lifestyle and the betterment of the environment, he added.
