Parisar

14/04/2026

Parisar supports this move by Pune Municipal Corporation.

“Open wood burning causes significant pollution, which adversely impacts citizens’ health. Once people are aware of the eco-friendly cremation facilities, they will be able to use them more easily.”
- Sharmila Deo, Senior Program Associate, Parisar

The Pune Municipal Corporation has launched a drive to promote free electric and gas cremation across 21 centres to reduce pollution and deforestation. Despite availability, most citizens prefer traditional methods at Vaikunth Smashanbhumi, increasing pollution. The initiative, under NCAP and LiFE, aims to raise awareness through QR codes and hospital outreach, offering a cleaner, faster, and cost-free alternative.

09/04/2026

Diya from New English School is a national-level table tennis player. She had been walking everywhere — from school to PYC Gymkhana for training — every single day. But only until recently.

A few weeks ago, as part of an initiative by Parisar, in collaboration with Pedal Mission and supported by she received a . Diya was overjoyed but perhaps not as much as her Ajji, who stood beside her, eyes shining with pride.

Diya is one among 60 students whose journeys changed that day, with a chance to move differently through the city and through life. For a cycle is so much more. It is time saved. Confidence built. A pedal towards a more world.

But for these journeys to truly take flight, our streets must change too. If we want more children to safely and confidently, we need infrastructure that supports them. Dedicated . Safer roads. And a city that remembers that it once was, "a cycling city".

As prepares to host the 2027 next January, perhaps it’s time we ask: can we bring that identity back, not just for sport, but for everyday life? Because when a child can cycle freely, an entire city moves forward.

Explore more about our work through the link in bio.

07/04/2026

Public transport is used by lakhs every day, but how often do we look at how buses actually run, or the condition of the stops we wait at?

Parisar is looking for field to support bus stop audits and basic bus performance surveys across as part of the 'Pune’s WBC (Walk, Bus, Cycle) Count: Mobility Scorecard of the City' project.

If you’re interested in cities, mobility, and understanding how things work on the ground, this is a chance to be part of a city-wide study.

📍 Pune | ⏳ 1 month | 🚀 Start: 15 April
📩 Send your CV & cover letter to: [email protected]
🗓️ Apply by: 14 April

06/04/2026

publishes extensive every month on ridership, revenue, and performance. But what does this data tell us, and is it really shaping decisions?

📢 Join us for a webinar on
“Analysing Public Transport Data: PMPML Dashboard Demonstration”

🗓️ April 10
🕓 4 PM
📍 Zoom
🔗 bit.ly/pmpmldashboard (Link in bio)

Through a live demo, we’ll explore how raw excel sheets can turn into meaningful insights, and how data can become a tool for decision-making, media, and citizen engagement.

We’ll also share what we found while analysing PMPML’s 2025 data, and what becomes possible when data is not just published, but understood.🚍📊

02/04/2026

“The safety of pedestrians is not a luxury, but a constitutional obligation of the state.”
— Supreme Court of India

But how often do we actually think of walking as a right?

The Right to Walk — access to safe, unobstructed, and disabled-friendly footpaths and safe crossings — is part of the Right to Life under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

This right is further supported by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, Motor Vehicles Act, and the Indian Roads Congress Guidelines for Pedestrian Facilities, which mandate safe, continuous, and accessible walking infrastructure.

Yet, everyday experiences tell a different story. When footpaths are broken, blocked, or unsafe, it reflects how easily fundamental rights are overlooked in our cities.

Did you know about your rights as pedestrians? Stay tuned to learn how you can exercise them.

31/03/2026

Parisar has told the Pune Municipal Corporation not to shift Kalakar Katta, saying the popular art and cultural spot is not causing traffic problems. According to the NGO’s technical study, the junction near Goodluck Chowk is already safe and properly designed.

The report says the real issue is vehicles stopping randomly near the area. Autorickshaws, two-wheelers, taxis and delivery vehicles often stop near eateries and narrow the road, creating traffic during peak hours.

Parisar has suggested strict no-halting and no-parking rules, better signage and moving seating slightly away from the road instead of relocating Kalakar Katta. Artists and regular visitors have also opposed the move, saying the space is an important part of Pune’s cultural identity.

30/03/2026

We didn’t always produce this much . Not necessarily because we were more “aware” but because systems worked differently.

Today, is framed as a waste problem. So we try to recycle, manage, and dispose better. But plastic is also a production and a climate problem. Recycling deals with plastic after it exists. But, asks a more fundamental question: What if it never became waste in the first place?

Across , reuse systems already exist, often informal, invisible, and unsupported. This , we’re starting by mapping them.

If you’ve seen reuse in action — street vendors, refill practices, returnable packaging — tell us. And if you’re working on waste, retail, packaging, or policy, we’d love to connect.

24/03/2026

If we have junctions in that are a nightmare to cross, we also have the JM Road junction that shows what happens when street design works for pedestrians:

✅ Safe, well-marked crossings
✅ Clear pedestrian signals
✅ Medians to wait safely
✅ Reduced conflict with vehicles

What else do you think helps pedestrians cross the junction safely? Let us know in the comments.

20/03/2026

Somewhere between the rush of traffic and everyday routines, cities still hold spaces where people pause, connect and create.

On this International Day of Happiness, centred on "Caring and Sharing”, we’re thinking about how cities nurture well-being through spaces and infrastructure that allow for expression, connection and community.

In Pune, is one such space. A corner on FC Road where strangers become audiences, artists find a stage, and the city slows down even if just for a moment.

Recently, its removal has been proposed, citing traffic congestion. We took a closer look at this claim through a street design and mobility lens, and found that the space itself does not contribute to congestion, while continuing to play an important role in Pune’s cultural life. This video is a first step in unpacking the issue.

If you’ve ever performed, created, or spent time at Kalakar Katta, we would love to hear from you. Please reach out to us or DM us.

And tell us in the comments in one word: what does Kalakar Katta mean to you?

20/03/2026

“If buses help reduce pollution, there needs to be more buses and more people using them.”

We’ve heard this multiple times but this time, it didn’t come from an expert, planner, or even an adult. It came from a student of Pune’s Anandakshan School, who took part in an AQI (Air Quality Index) Walk conducted by under the IEC programme of for students from standards 5 to 9.

The session began with an introduction to followed by a hands-on walk where students measured air quality inside their school and just outside it, noticing how even small changes in surroundings affect what we breathe.

What stood out was how students began to recognise and connect everyday actions — like public transport use, cycling and waste management — to air pollution in the city.

Understanding the air around us is the first step towards changing it.

19/03/2026

In our latest newsletter, this , we asked:
Who are our cities really built for?

For many women, everyday mobility still means:
🚶‍♀️ Unsafe streets
🚌 Unreliable transport
🌫️ Polluted air

What we’re seeing:

• Speeding makes streets unsafe for those who walk and use public transport
• Bad planning shows up in the air we breathe
• Public transport isn’t accessible if it isn’t reliable
• Flyovers prioritise cars—not people

Cities that work for women work for everyone.

13/03/2026

Last Friday, students from Huzurpaga Girls High School and Junior College joined local citizens for an Air Quality Index (AQI) Walk in Pune’s Peth area to see, record and clear the air of mystery around what we're breathing.

The walk was organised by under the IEC programme of the National Clean Air Programme ( ), in collaboration with Parisar, and .

As participants moved through different streets, the AQI changed significantly depending on traffic congestion, street activities and nearby pollution sources. Even small activities like burning incense sticks caused a sharp but temporary spike in particulate levels.

Understanding these patterns is the first step towards building cleaner and healthier neighbourhoods.