Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday took to the streets of Karnal on a Royal Enfield motorcycle to endorse the ‘Car-free Day’ initiative in the district. According to reports, CM Khattar was seen riding a bike to Karnal Airport.

CM Khattar had previously announced that every Tuesday in Karnal would be designated as a Car-free Day. All government officials and the public have been advised to commute by bicycles and public transport on Tuesdays, as part of a broader effort to combat pollution and promote sustainable living.

CM Khattar shared a video of his motorcycle ride in Karnal on the social media platform X.

“Be it ‘Car-free Day’ or the resolve to make ‘Drug-free Haryana’, it cannot be accomplished without public cooperation. I also made a small effort to reduce car traffic today by travelling to Karnal Airport by bike on ‘Car-free Day’. I hope that the people of the state will take this message forward and inspire others to give up their cars ‘just for one day’,” CM Khattar tweeted in Hindi.

"कार फ्री डे" हो या "नशामुक्त हरियाणा" बनाने का संकल्प हो बिना जनसहयोग के पूरा नहीं हो सकता!

“कार फ्री डे” पर करनाल एयरपोर्ट तक की यात्रा बाइक द्वारा करके, आज के दिन कार ट्रैफिक कम करने का एक छोटा सा प्रयास मेरा भी रहा।मुझे आशा है कि प्रदेश के जागरूक लोग इस सन्देश को आगे… pic.twitter.com/a5DQeDn1ky— Manohar Lal (@mlkhattar) September 26, 2023

The Chief Minister introduced the Car-free Day initiative while addressing a gathering of youth on September 25 during the flagging-off ceremony of the Drug-free Haryana Cyclothon rally in Karnal, according to reports. Before inaugurating the rally, Khattar administered an oath to the young participants, encouraging them to distance themselves from the menace of drug abuse. Subsequently, after flagging off the Cyclothon, he actively joined the rally by cycling with the youth, motivating them amid the chants of “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” and “Drug-Free Haryana,” according to a Times of India report.

The Cyclothon for a Drug-Free Haryana was started with the inaugural Cyclothon on September 1 and it culminated on September 25, reported ANI. Visuals from the Yamunanagar Cyclothon showcased a number of participants cycling to raise awareness about the devastating impact of drug abuse. The message of a drug-free Haryana has resonated across all 22 districts of the state, as the cyclothon traversed these regions over the course of the last 25 days, the ANI report added.

(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani)