Hyderabad: The 'Car-Free-Thursday' campaign started on Thursday in the IT corridor in Cyberabad comprising Hi-Tec City and Gachibowli areas here.

IT employees and volunteers were seen holding placards that read Thank You for Taking the Bus, I don't drive this car on Thursday at various intersections, bus stops to encourage and thank those commuting by alternate modes of transport by shunning their cars and other vehicles for one day in the week.

The initiative, undertaken by Hyderabad Software Exports Association (HYSEA) in association with Telangana's Transport department, Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation, Cyberabad Security Council and different organisations aims to reduce the number of vehicles on road to 'free up' space and also solve parking problems in the various IT companies.

For an industry which employs more than 3.5 lakh people directly and about 70,000 people indirectly, who are daily commuters, 41 per cent use private modes of transport remaining 59 per cent use buses, office transport, shared auto, cycle or walk to work, HYSEA President Ramesh Loganathan said.

So net employees using cars is about 40,000 and those on motor vehicles is about 1,10,000 in Hi-Tec City and Gachibowli.

The aim is to reduce these cars, motor vehicles by 10,000-15,000, he said. Our target for first 'Car Free Thursday' was about 10,000-15000 car commuters shifting to buses and other forms of transport.

We are happy to report that there was visible impact of the initiative, as there was huge increase in carpooling, increase in bus ridership, people walking to and cycling to work, Ramesh said.

We will continue to create awareness among the IT fraternity on this initiative without any pause and also build on the momentum created, he added.

Telangana State Road Transport Corporation ran 70 additional buses in the pilot routes identified to help employees commute by bus.

Through this campaign we will also promote alternative modes of transport like carpooling, cycling, MMTS and walking to work, Ramesh said, adding it’s a voluntary initiative from the industry and we are starting with Cyberabad as a pilot.

Source: PTI