Rotary International District 3232 (Chennai) organised Imagine Road Safety, a Road Safety awareness project inaugurated on June 6 at Anna Arch Signal, Anna Nagar. More than 12 Rotary clubs participated in this mega public welfare project highlighting the importance of awareness on road safety. In spite of the many measures and initiatives, people are yet to become more sensitive and serious about the consequences.
Imagine Road Safety project aims to educate the motorists who commute in four wheelers and two-wheelers, while they stop at red signals. At this time, a team of 6 transgender individuals appear to demonstrate the importance of wearing seatbelts and helmets using hand signals to an audio that isplayed aloud which lasts for a minute. They disperse soon after their demonstration is done without hindering traffic. This flash mob attracts the attention of the onlookers creating a positive impact in their approach to road safety with increased awareness. The team of 6 would be wearing a saree & groom themselves like an Air-hostess and the one-minute awareness audio on the importance of wearing seat-belts, helmets, safety measures resemble the style of announcement like experience in an aircraft.
Rtn.R.Balasubramanian (Rotary District Chairman for Road Safety), organising this mega awareness drive said, “With Rotary’s commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, we have created a platform for the transgender people to empower themselves and also make them participate in this drive for a social cause. It is also an effort to bring them in the forefront as they create awareness on road safety to the general public”.
The transgender team from Born to Win are exclusively groomed and trained by Rtn.V.Ruckmani, Rotary District Chairman – Transgender Empowerment. The project was earlier started during the pandemic in 2020 in the name of Crazy Crew– an initiative by the Rotary Club of Chennai Royals.
Rtn Mahaveer Bothra, District Governor Nominee was the Chief Guest and P.Saravanan IPS, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) North, Greater Chennai Police as the Guest of Honour.
The Road safety awareness exercise is scheduled across six prime road junctions and signals in Chennai city limits spread across Anna Nagar Main Road, E.V.R Periyar Salai, Anna Salai, etc. all through the day.