A total of 65 vintage cars and 46 vintage bikes will be part of the annual Historic Vehicles Drive, scheduled for January 21.
The drive, organised by Federation of Historic Vehicles of India (FHVI), will be flagged off at ITC Windsor, Golf Course Road at 10 am and will end at ITC Gardenia, Residency Road around 1 pm. The route will cover iconic Bengaluru landmarks like Cubbon Park, Vidhana Soudha and M G Road.
The theme of the drive is ‘Wheels to vision’ and the organisers hope to raise awareness about eye donation through the event. “Even if 10% of the population decides to donate their eyes, it will make a significant difference,” says Ravi Prakash, president of FHVI.
The organisers have roped in Shraddha Eye Care, the charity wing of Nethradhama Hospitals, to help with the cause. About 30 visually impaired children will participate in the event.
“The kids will ride in the cars, and will help the drivers navigate the route,” says Ravi, adding that they have been signed on by Shraddha Eye Care. They will be provided with Braille navigation maps. “The idea is to experience what the blind go through, to get a better understanding of their daily struggles,” he explains.
The oldest car that will be a part of the event is a 1909 Wolsley that belongs to Ravi. Once the property of the Maharaja of Cooch Behar, it was bought by Ravi’s family 31 years ago. A 1930s Harley Davidson is the oldest bike that will take part in the drive. Vintage Mercedes, Jaguar, Ford and Austin-Healey cars will also take to the roads, apart from historic Indian, Aerial, Norton, Triumph and BSA motorcycles.
Talking about the traffic snarls a procession of this nature could result in, Ravi says, “We’re talking to authorities and will hopefully be able to set up a green corridor. This way people can come by and get to see the vehicles up close.”