A smooth ride
Rana Nayar, Educationist
There’s a price to pay for growth and development. Noise, pollution, chock-a-block roads, traffic jams...the city has the highest number of vehicles per capita. “And it’s becoming such a nuisance. You dare not drive during the peak hours, traffic is terrible. The city is in a desperate need of a mass transport system, which can decongest the roads and make driving a safe and enjoyable experience. I wish the proposals of a metro, tram, basically a better public transport should be see the light of day in 2009,” is Professor Rana Nayar’s wish.

Safe & sound
Neelam Man Singh
Theatre Director
IN TIMES like these it’s peace which is paramount, hope that sustains life and all you want is the assurance that your children will be safe on the streets and experience a world that’s free and filled with love. “A safe city is something we all need to pray for, wherever in the world we are. A stable and secure place, where your children can grow without fear and a city where there’s no stereotyping and less hungry people,” Neelam Man Singh looks ahead at 2009 with trust.

Creative steps
Dr Nirja Chawla
THEATRE, dance recitals, music shows, the city’s finally seeing year-long cultural activity, “and I hope in the New Year we art lovers have an opportunity to fully experience and enjoy more creative connections and are exposed to art forms from around the world and more variety in shows,” spells out Dr Chawla who is looking forward to an artful year.

Call for peace
Dolly Ahluwalia
Actor & Costume Designer
IT’S not praying for a shooting sensex, it’s not hoping for public transport in the city or traffic control, it’s not looking for drop in prices wishing for wealth, heck it’s not even close to health. “It’s peace,” says award-winning costume designer Dolly Ahluwalia. “Personally and worldwide, all I wish, hope and pray for the year 2009 is peace,” says Dolly, who, also expressed her desire of going back to theatre. “I feel stagnated now, and for a long time, have had this urge of rekindling my ties with my first love, theatre…there is action in my life, but the movement and search for the real thing is in theatre,” she wishes another wish.

Each one, teach one
Harmanjit Singh
Software professional
The year 2008 saw Harmanjit and his group give the city a platform to evolve with the Meta Movie Club. For the year 2009, he, in his quest for fulfillment of more common humanistic goals, wishes for more opportunities for education for poor people. “Which requires more funding by the Administration too,” says Harmanjit who feels that without all this effort, development will be short-lived. “Unless people are not empowered with education, awareness and information, this country will not develop in the real sense,” he says.

Time for action!
Sameera Koser
Indian classical dancer and instructor
“I hope that the new year is a peaceful and safe one for everybody. In the present times of stress due to terrorism or the economic meltdown, people should take to Indian classical dance forms that have therapeutic benefits. I have done my PhD on the same topic, and found that classical dances reduce the stress level in the body. The governments have taken the people for granted, they are not doing enough. As citizens we should be more aware of our surroundings and neighbourhoods. It’s high time that we awaken, that’s what our new year resolution should be.”

To new beginnings
Vansh Bhardwaj, Actor
POST 26/11 actor Vansh can’t think of anything but peace. “So much has happened…it hasn’t been a good ending, and for a new beginning, we need a mass movement, a people’s initiative to tackle this threat looming large on our heads,” he says.

Promises fulfilled!
Sahil Nanda
President, Panjab University
Students Council
“My wish for 2009 is that the nation emerges financially, and the people are stronger to deal with activities like terror attacks. I pray that we are not made to suffer again since criminal activities of this magnitude take any society 50 years back. It’s important that we maintain our integrity and security and fight united,” says Sahil who on the personal front is looking to fulfill his responsibilities towards the welfare of the students. “The new year will bring two major changes that have never happened before - financial backing for students and two buses that will move around the campus thrice a day,” he promises. As far as the city goes, Nanda wishes for “more developmental and infrastructural progress. If the projects like Metro may be initiated this year, it will facilitate a number of people.”

Plan ahead
Archana Chaudhary
Architect, Haryana Housing Board
AS an architect-planner, Archana wishes that in 2009 a comprehensive master plan be made for the city for the next 20 years at least keeping in view the phenomenal growth pattern of the last 60 years. “It shall take care that the original character of the city is maintained and the haphazard growth around the city is checked to a large extent. I also wish that the city is made more traffic-friendly and disabled-friendly,” wishes the architect.

Protect & preserve
Prof Rajneesh Wattas
Former principal, Chandigarh College of Architecture
“I wish Chandigarh emerges as a world class city and is known for its architecture. We have the best of designs and I wish that we not only preserve them but also enhance them in our own little ways,” lists out Wattas.

Love all!
Ashu Balani, Wedding Planner
WITH news of bomb blasts, frequent killings and hate filling the newspapers every morning, there’s only one thing that Balani wishes for and what’s that? “I wish people are nicer to each other. I wish the suppressed feeling of frustration goes and is replaced by love for mankind. People should be more helpful and forgiving. I hope that with the onset of 2009 everyone realizes that it does not cost anything to be nice,” she says.