The 100 benches flanking the Pashan-Sus Road have transformed a once-unnoticeable stretch into a pedestrian paradise

Ashwin Shetty's roadside tea stall has just had a change of fortune. And all because he shifted its position from under a tree to near one of the 100 odd benches that have popped up at the Pashan-Sus road thanks to the Commonwealth Youth Games. "The only reason my tea did not sell the way it should have is because people did not get a place to sit and enjoy its taste. When these benches were put up I decided that I will shift my tapri near one so that my customers can be benefitted by its presence."

The presence of benches along the entire stretch of the road has not benefitted only Shetty and his patrons. The ones sauntering in the greenery of Pashan-Sus road also vouch for the usefulness of it. Taking a stroll has become a routine affair for Mahesh Pethekar and his wife who live in NCL colony at Pashan-Sus road. "You tend to cover a long way when you take a stroll on this road and when its time to return, you feel like taking some rest before starting off again and that is where these benches come into picture. Earlier my wife and I used to take a walk but that used to be very short because we knew that covering a long stretch again can be a tedious process," shares Pethekar.

Where the residents enjoy the benefits of the benches they also feel that initiatives like these motivate people to walk instead of using automobiles for covering even small distances. Ramesh Pathe, senior citizen and a resident says, " For people of our age such benches are like crutches that help and support us. They also stimulate this healthy habit of walking in us. I now enjoy morning and evening walks because I can stop and take rest whenever I feel like. Earlier when the benches were not there, one could not get a proper place to sit for almost three to four kilometers."

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