In a unique effort, painters and artists of an NGO are adorning the old walls of the Ghaziabad railway junction with ‘stress-free paintings.’ According to a Hindustan Times report, old arches, corridors and the pedestrian bridge at the station complex are being painted, to do away with the sight of spit-stained walls and the bland look at other spots.
The volunteers of csDishaa Foundation have painted the walls in vibrant colours with prominent themes like nature, dance forms and the first war of independence. They feel that this will be a treat for commuters who are caught up in the hustle-bustle of daily life.
They expect the project to be completed over the next two years. Currently, the volunteers, painters and artists are painting various dance forms on the pedestrian bridge that connects Vijay Nagar to the city area.
“The bridge is used by thousands of people every day. Those using it have a habit of spitting pan and gutkha, which makes the passage unhygienic and ugly. It is with great effort that we cleaned the passage and have come up with paintings. It is tough to paint and keep the walls clean as people often spit on the paintings. We have not given up on educating people to keep the city clean,” said Udita Tyagi, national president of csDishaa Foundation, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
The volunteers are now painting nearly 100 arches and corridors of the old building and adjoining platforms 3 and 4. However, the arches are nearly 15 foot high and pose a big challenge to painters.
“At every arch, we have started painting eminent personalities from the first war of independence. We are coming up with paintings of Bahadur Shah Zafar, Begum Hazrat Mahal and Tantya Tope, among others. Some arches will also have war scenes with description. Since passengers have a long waiting time, the paintings will provide a stress-free environment and also beautify the old walls,” Tyagi added.
The walls are being painted with high-grade colours, so that the sheen lasts for a long time.
The main idea behind the paintings is to clean up the surroundings and uplift the moods of the passengers. The NGO has taken up the work under an understanding with Railways. The station building is more than a century old,” said Mahesh Yadav, area traffic manager, Ghaziabad.
Upon completion, the NGO will offer the walls and arches to the public for adoption and maintenance.
According to an estimate, nearly 2 lakh people use the train facility daily. The Ghaziabad junction is a busy transit route for trains going towards Delhi, Haridwar, Kanpur and Bareilly, among other locations.
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