Redij, a resident of Devichapada, Dombivli west took to cycling in 1982. Everyday he cycles 3-4 km in Dombivli. "Cycling is the best option to solve the problem of transportation, traffic and pollution prevalent in any city," he says.
For 43-year-old Prashant Redij from Dombivli west, cycling has been a passion for more than three decades. This freelance bus driver prefers to spend his free time spreading awareness about social issues like expansion of Mumbai-Goa highway or plastic free Konkan rather than chit-chatting with other drivers.
Redij, a resident of Devichapada, Dombivli west took to cycling in 1982. Everyday he cycles 3-4 km in Dombivli. "Cycling is the best option to solve the problem of transportation, traffic and pollution prevalent in any city," he says.
Though he cycles daily and on weekends visits places near Dombivli, he undertook a major expedition recently. The inspiration came from a half-complete expedition he took from Dombivli-Sawantwadi during Ganeshotsav last year. "I was a novice and did not know that such long trips require special cycle, gear, gloves, seat. When I cycled from Dombivli to Sawantwadi I realised I did not last for two days and I could not complete the return journey to Dombivli with a cycle," he says.
To complete this journey, he cycled 1,100 km from Sawantwadi to Mantralaya from January 16 to 20 with the message to expand the two-lane Mumbai-Goa Highway.
"Since I am a bus driver I got to travel across India and I saw that most highways except Mumbai-Goa are four-lane roads. So I decided to highlight this issue through my expedition," he adds.
Moreover, he says that his native place, Konkan, is seeing an increase in tourism as well as garbage especially plastic. "Konkan is a naturally bountiful place and the use of plastic is destroying it. Hence, I want Konkan to be plastic-free and spread this message through my cycling trip," he says.
Now he is on the lookout for more inspiration and adds, "In my free time, I like to create awareness about various issues."
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