Pune: Residents in NIBM Road area participated in Happy Streets as Shankarrao Ghule Road swapped traffic with music, fitness activities and joggers from 6.30am to 10am on Sunday morning.Happy Streets, the Times of India initiative sponsored by Triaa, turned this stretch of road into a lively open space for fitness, games, and community bonding on Dec 7.Many residents walked in straight from their morning jogs. “I was running my usual route when I heard loud music and saw people dancing. I thought, I would just stop for five minutes, but I ended up doing a full Zumba session and chatting with the neighbours I met,” said NIBM Road resident Rohan Kumar Singh.The main stage was engaged all morning, with Zumba and Bollywood fitness sessions pulling in large crowds. “We came only to watch. But once the music started, there was no way we were just standing around. My kids ran off to play, my husband joined yoga, and I somehow joined a tug of war,” said Priyanka Shah, who attended with her family.“Seeing the overwhelming joy and energy that filled our streets was truly heartwarming. Enthusiastic participation reminded us of the beautiful, vibrant community we share. Presence of residents made the event a resounding success and a moment of genuine connection. I appreciate the event,” Ankit Goel, managing director of Triaa, told TOI.A little further down the road, the sports zone looked like a friendly match day. Footballs rolled past, badminton games started and stayed competitive, while table tennis and darts kept teenagers busy. “What I loved was that nobody was serious or competitive. Some people played for five minutes and some for half an hour. It felt relaxed,” said Ashok Patil, who lives in a nearby housing society.For children, the kids’ zone was hard to leave. Mini bowling, giant Jenga, and traditional games kept them moving all along. “Usually Sundays are about convincing my kids to go outside, because all they want to do is play video games on the weekends. But after coming here, walking down from our housing society, they didn’t want to leave at all. This stretch is always so hectic. Today it felt like a park,” said Shalini Makhija, a local resident.
