INDEPTH: HAPPY STREETS IN THE CITY

BETTER SUNDAYS WITH HAPPY STREETS

Cities waking up to happy streets might have started in Europe but it has reached Aurangabad as well. Happy Street came into being when children in Europe didn’t have play areas and parks anymore sue ton urbanization and as a way to protest the urbanization. In Aurangabad, it is an initiative by the Times Group.

Since the February of 2018, the happy street culture started in Aurangabad. The happy street was organized on the road between Tapadiya Natyamandir and Samarthnagar in Nirala Bazaar. Every Sunday of the week the road of a different area was blocked for the Happy Street. Residents of the city woke up to a free space and fun environment in the street. Games, activities, events were organized and played by the children and college students.

Face painting, coloring, clay modeling, skating, running race, songs and information to children regarding CPR were demonstrated for the children. While the college students and adults involved in the zumba, yoga programs, sculptors making sculptures of a person’s face football etc. Madhuri Jaiswal, a mother of two kids says “such event is very good and should happen more. Kids for this much time stay away from phones and computers and participate in activities which are refreshing, knowledgeable and healthy as well.” Happy street has become easily accepted and a trend already among the youth especially. Happy Street has also been conducted in Kranti Chowk - Osmanpura road in their final week.

It is a development and achievement for Aurangabad to enjoy the Happy Street organized all over the world and huge metro cities of India alongside Pune, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Madurai and many more.