Odha Walking Trail in Union City, CA
As a part of the Paud Road Mohalla Committee, 25 Paud Road residents have been initiating clean up action at one stretch of the Sutardara Nala, which crosses Paud Road at Shivtirtha nagar. The local corporator has proposed a garden along this nala, providing a natural recreational amenity for the nearby residents. The idea behind the nala clean up action is to trigger a symbolic gesture, where citizens spend 1-2 hours per week for the ci
ty and let the government officials know that they not only care and keep a watch but are also ready to partner to help them maintain the local urban environment.
I came across a similar initiative at Union City, at Fremont, CA. Union City has developed a jogging / walking trail along the entire stretch of the nala. This stretch is part of the Alameda Creek Trail, a historic walking / cycling trail that runs along Alameda Creek famous for its bird and other fauna habitats. Although a concretized waterway and currently dry, the restored nala (or the preferred word should be odha), acts as a strip of natural area amidst the otherwise residential area. Early morning joggers and strollers frequent this odha. In this early spring, there are a host of migratory birds, including a variety of ducks and gulls, that jostle for space.
The unfortunate part, like in India, is that all the houses' backyards are backed up against the odha. Perhaps earlier this odha was a wasteland, like we see the ones in India, and people had turned their backs on it. Some backyard fences did show small wicket gates opening up. The most beautiful sight was the full blossomed rose bushes lining the backyard fences which gave off an array of colors to the morning jogger.
As I strolled along the path, I realised that the dream that some of us were having for the nala on Paud Road could well turn into reality..something similar to that in Union City. The nala would transform into an odha, with flowers and shading trees, birds and squirrels running about the place, where an early morning jogger would leave the hustle bustle of Paud Road to enter a world far away!
And just imagine all the nalas (transformed into beautiful odhas) in Pune connected by this walking trail... a tranquil, peaceful haven of nature nestling amidst the growing, vibrating, pulsating city of Pune!
ty and let the government officials know that they not only care and keep a watch but are also ready to partner to help them maintain the local urban environment.
I came across a similar initiative at Union City, at Fremont, CA. Union City has developed a jogging / walking trail along the entire stretch of the nala. This stretch is part of the Alameda Creek Trail, a historic walking / cycling trail that runs along Alameda Creek famous for its bird and other fauna habitats. Although a concretized waterway and currently dry, the restored nala (or the preferred word should be odha), acts as a strip of natural area amidst the otherwise residential area. Early morning joggers and strollers frequent this odha. In this early spring, there are a host of migratory birds, including a variety of ducks and gulls, that jostle for space.The unfortunate part, like in India, is that all the houses' backyards are backed up against the odha. Perhaps earlier this odha was a wasteland, like we see the ones in India, and people had turned their backs on it. Some backyard fences did show small wicket gates opening up. The most beautiful sight was the full blossomed rose bushes lining the backyard fences which gave off an array of colors to the morning jogger.
As I strolled along the path, I realised that the dream that some of us were having for the nala on Paud Road could well turn into reality..something similar to that in Union City. The nala would transform into an odha, with flowers and shading trees, birds and squirrels running about the place, where an early morning jogger would leave the hustle bustle of Paud Road to enter a world far away!
And just imagine all the nalas (transformed into beautiful odhas) in Pune connected by this walking trail... a tranquil, peaceful haven of nature nestling amidst the growing, vibrating, pulsating city of Pune!
Hello Anagha, nice contents.
ReplyDeleteLokayat is a group of activists in Pune that works on varios environment related issues.
Do ping me on rushal.thaker@gmail.com
if you are interested to join / know more about us.
Hi Anagha,
ReplyDeleteFinally I went in here and read this encouraging nala to odha transformation post.
This is exactly what we all have in mind. I am glad you could show us a successful case observed in your travels.
Vinod