On April 24, Elliot’s beach road witnessed a flurry of activity — spirited runners, inspired performers, enthusiastic children, and an energised crowd. The venue of the weekly Namma Chennai Namakke Car-Free Sundays was abuzz long before sunrise.
A mix of activities such as zumba, cycling, yoga, road art, tug of war, skating, and other games transformed the road into a canvas on the occasion of World Earth Day. On the one hand, Agaram Foundation staged a street play titled Bhoomi that shed light on the importance of rain water conservation, while on the other, a team from the Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI) presented a play on the ill-effects of plastic usage on our water bodies.
That preserving the environment in the wake of the recent Chennai floods has emerged more crucial than ever, was a feeling that resonated with the audience.
The sweltering heat and humidity did not dampen the spirits of either the performers or the gathering.
Earlier in the day, a five-km run organised by TeEnduRuns was held. Cheers punctuated the otherwise noise-free atmosphere, as runners neared the finish line.
An interesting 4x5-km Team Relay Challenge was conducted, in which each team had to mandatorily comprise a woman and a veteran.
More than 100 teams from various running groups across the city participated in the marathon, in which Team Loyola Runners emerged winners.
The Namma Chennai Namakke Car-Free Sundays, presented by the Chennai Corporation, the Chennai Traffic Police and The Hindu , is an initiative by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and Chennai City Connect. The activity that takes place along Besant Nagar beach road between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. every Sunday has evolved into a vibrant community gathering.
