Ahmedabad to observe ‘Parking Day’ today

With a view to drawing attention to the need for open spaces in urban areas, international Park(ing) day is celebrated every year on September 16. Ahmedabad will be the first Indian city to celebrate the day on Friday.

A citizen-initiated endeavour, Park(ing) day focuses on the need for open spaces in cities. On this day, parking lots get converted into temporary public spaces like parks or open grounds to play and roam around.

The temporary 'park' created out of a parking lot is treated like an open space for the public to enjoy and organise various activities. In recent years, many parking lots have been converted for a single day and used for health clinics, art installations and bike repairs among others.

Also parking lots have been used as a location for charity, socialising and expression of views on a mass-level. The event will be inaugurated by municipal commissioner Guruprasad Mohapatra.