Mentor Teacher – Sunil Patel

Students –

1. Devyani Gavankar 2. Dubey Ashish 3. Vanjare Dhanashree

4. Choudhary Heenakshi 5. Somsagar Mehboobi 6. Krupa Patel

Our story of change

from

What we

It was really shocking when we heard one of our classmate met an accident and

fractured her leg by falling into an open gutter on the footpath.

It was this incident, which made us feel and investigate why this must have happened?

It was this time I and my friends Ashish, Dhanashree, Heenakshi, Mehboobi &

Krupa decided to take the task of making the footpath “FREE SPACE TO WALK”.

We were questioning ourselves, is this the footpath on which pedestrians were

suppose to walk?

Will it be easy for a senior citizen to walk on this footpath? We were so touched by

our friend’s accident but, it was more shocking when we saw, the footpath were not allowed to breathe freely.

I Devyani along with my school friends went around the school and were surprised

to see that footpaths were not properly constructed, dustbin was lying on the footpath, vehicles were

parked on the footpath. Well ! We also noticed the shopkeepers were keeping their belongings on the footpath.

What we

We will have to

make a team

We will have to request

the shopkeepers to keep

their belongings inside

the shop.

We will have to

complain the

concern authority

We will have to

distribute

pamphlets so that

masses can be

involved.

We will distribute

flowers as

“GANDHIGIRI”

We will have to

prepare a budget

for achieving our

goal.

What we

Mentor Teacher – Sunil Patel

Students – 1. Devyani Gavankar 2. Dubey Ashish 3. Vanjare Dhanashree

4. Choudhary Heenakshi 5. Somsagar Mehboobi 6. Krupa Patel

Program –12th, 13th, 14th September 2012 – Requesting the Shopkeepers to

keep their belongings inside the shop, park their vehicles in parking lots and

keep the footpath clean

Budget – Hand made flowers & pamphlets were part of drawing and craft

activity. Transportation was free as the footpath administrative offices of the

authorities were at walk able distance. Our money requirement practically is

Rs.0

As our oral request were not heard by the shopkeepers, we

appealed in writing to the shopkeepers, to keep their belongings

inside the shop, park their vehicles in parking lot & keep the

footpath clean.

Interaction with shopkeepers

It was a mix response from the shopkeepers, excuses like

belongings are lying temporarily, they have licenses to be on

footpath etc.

Visit to RTO (Regional Traffic Office)

We observed that some shopkeepers were not hearing our

request and appeal, so we decided to take the matter to the

Regional Traffic Office.

Response from the Inspector in charge

• Responsibility of constructing & maintaining roads is of B.M.C.,

MMRDA, PWD.

• Non availability of parking lots.

• The areas are not developed by BMC according to TOWN

PLANNING SCHEME.

• Traffic police is just the facilitator & regulator of traffic, so it is the

sole responsibility of BMC to solve this problem.

Visit to B.M.C. (Ward Officer)

We realized after interacting with the Inspector in charge, that the

solution for our problem lies, only & only with the B.M.C.. After

making lots of efforts, we got an appointment with the P.A. of Ward

Officer.

Response from the P.A. (Ward Officer)

• Complaints with respect to footpath should be addressed by the

construction department, maintenance department, license

department.

• Letter should be put in the inward of the B.M.C. department

which will be forwarded to the respective departments.

After sensitizing the shopkeepers, positive response came from

few shopkeepers in the form of promises and to support the efforts

taken by us.

My blessings

are with you,

Keep up the

good work

• We decided to do GANDHIGIRI by

distributing flowers as:

• A token of thanks giving for the people

who have responded positively .

• A token of gratitude towards the

shopkeepers for their act of non co-

operation and hoping that some day they

will realize their mistake in using the

footpath illegally.

BEFORE AFTER

Appointment with the MAYOR OF MUMBAI on 8th of October, 2012

• For sustainable space walk we have made 10 teams of 5 students each who will continuously pursue

the shop keepers to keep their belongings inside and allow the pedestrians free space walk, also allow

the footpath to breathe.

What we

• We actively participated with senior citizens

in a rally for the cause of saving the footpath.

• Sharing this experience with all our school

mates by uploading the PPT on our school

website - www.3rs.pragnyabodhini.com