The Thane municipal corporation (TMC) Commissioner Dr Vipin Sharma, along with the Thane Traffic Police deputy commissioner of police (DCP) Balasaheb Patil, inaugurated the walking plaza on the roads of Thane at around 5.30 am on Friday. A number of senior officials from the TMC and traffic police officials, as well as officials from nearby police stations, were present during the inauguration.
The civic body noted that people have become more health-conscious after the Covid-19 pandemic. The walking plaza initiative was started at three important junctions – from Kashinath Ghanekar to Birsa Munda Chowk, the road beside Upavan lake and the road from Teen Hath Naka to the Dharmavir Anand Dighe school entrance – to provide safe walking space for the citizens in Thane.
“Children, as well as senior citizens, can exercise and play in an accident-free environment. The timing for the morning walk plaza will be from 5.30 am to 8.00 am. I request the citizens from Thane to take advantage of this initiative,” DCP Patil said, adding that the initiative has been well received by people and that it would also deter crimes like chain snatching in the area.
TMC Commissioner Vipin Sharma, said, “I am fully confident that the citizens of Thane will definitely use this facility for their benefit. For the last one and half years, many people were not able to exercise due to the pandemic. Walking and jogging outside had become a problem due to the restrictions. But now that things are normalising, such spaces will be really a good option for exercise and to maintain good health.”
