On Dr Peter Dias road, a civic revolution begins

Mumbaikars can take a cue from Dr Peter Dias Road residents in Bandra (W) when it comes to keeping their surroundings clean. Visitors to the area come face to face with an artistic, colourful board with civic messages emblazoned in bold: 'Wash cars inside your compound. You can keep your area litter free, literally'.

That is just one of the civic messages greeting motorists and pedestrians using the road. The aim is to drive home the point of environmental cleanliness and make citizens sit up and take the BMC's cleanliness and sanitation bylaws seriously.

The initiative to put up the board at the junction, and distribute garbage bins, was taken up by citizens of the area. They believe that it's not the BMC, but citizens, who have to be the mainstay keeping their Angan Saaf.

“Paying taxes isn't enough. Blaming the BMC also doesn't help. A symbiotic relationship with the civic body and citizens is a must. If people even glance at the board once, it will have some effect,” said senior citizen, Savita Mehra from Dr Peter Dias Road.

“The key to the clean-up drive is in citizens' hands,” says Mehra.