Kolkata: In a unique move to create health awareness among the local residents, the Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation ( HIDCO) recently came up with an open gymnasium at New Town.
This is for the first time an open air gymnasium has been set up in a township.
Providing facilities to ensure sound health of local residents is the most important prerequisite of a clean and green city.
Fitness equipment have been installed at the bus stations so that
the passengers can workout while waiting for the bus or can do it after coming back from work in the evening.
The machines that have been installed are chest press, air walker, arm wheel, sit up bench, leg press and cross trainer.
In New Town, hundreds of men and women go out for morning and evening walk and jogging.
They will be able to use these machines free of cost to keep themselves fit, said a senior HIDCO official.
"One has to get membership in gymnasiums to use such machines and the charges in gyms are high. The same kind machines they will be able to use at the open air gymnasium at free of cost," he said.
Tushar Sil, former Mr Asia who runs several state of the art multi
gyms in the city lauded the effort of HIDCO and said: "Many young boys and girls along with elderly people are going to gyms to keep themselves fit. After walking or jogging if they do work out at the open-air gym for some time that will keep fit. He urged the he Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation authorities to take steps for publicity so that more and more people are inspired to keep themselves heathy and fit. Some machines such as the cross trainer or leg press are highly effective to reduce obesity and maintain the strength of leg muscles."
PK Thakur, who is a doctor, also lauded the effort and said: "The
way diabetes and obesity cases are
increasing up among the people,
particularly the youths, physical activities have become mandatory. If
people can do light exercise with the help of machines that will help
them to keep fit and control the disease. In the Western countries,
open air gyms are available but the effort to develop the habit to exercise among the residents is welcome initiative."