Creating an ecosystem for cycling

The Urban Development Department has been promoting cycling in several cities and can take some credit on World Bicycle Day which falls on Friday, June 3. It has encouraged cycling by incorporating it into its planning process. Cycle tracks are being envisaged and constructed in several cities.

The Kala Nagar to Vakola track in Mumbai is one such project. Now, Navi Mumbai has proposed to make a cycle track of 7.5 km along the iconic Palm Beach Road. Several private firms have been roped in to provide the share-a-cycle scheme, which is already doing well in Navi Mumbai.

Several cities have built up a cycling culture.

Pedallers hit city roads early in the morning and the highways on weekends. Another positive sign is the emergence of digital rental bike systems. There are cycle clubs with membership running into hundreds; from schoolboys to senior citizens. They organise long rides during the weekends which cover forts to flowering trees to flamingo sites and at times, heritage precincts. 

Recently, representatives of 25 cycling clubs in Kalyan-Dombivli met civic chief Vijay Suryavanshi urging him to create an ecosystem for cycling. He promised them an 800-metre cycling track to start with. Thane too is making an 850-metre cycle track at Pawar Nagar. However, cycling enthusiasts want a series of longer – at least 4-km -- dedicated tracks with better connectivity between them.

 The BMC had exactly this in mind last year when it proposed a 39-km-long and 10-m-wide track along the Tansa pipeline from Mulund to Wadala. The project though hasn’t taken off as relocating the slum-dwellers is too expensive. In cities like Japan, there are 200km-long cycle tracks that are used by people for travelling as well.

Nagpur Municipal Corporation is creating an ecosystem for cycling. It has signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding with MahaMetro, Vidarbha Infotech and Green Pedia Bike Share Pvt Ltd to provide cycle stands at various parts of the city.

The Energy Research Institute (TERI) estimated in its 2018 report, ‘Benefits of Cycling in India: An Economic, Environmental, and Social Assessment, 2018’,  that cycling for short distances can result in an annual benefit of Rs 1.8 trillion to the Indian economy, which is equivalent to 1.6% of India’s annual GDP.

 In Navi Mumbai where the Public Bicycle Sharing System (PBSS) or also known as Yulu Bikes introduced in 2018 has earned carbon credit worth Rs 38.61 cr from over 8.14 lakh rides. More than 2.5 lakhs citizens have already used the system. 

Cycling is also tied up with tourism. Under the `Ciclovia’ project in Bogota, Columbia, 121 km is kept aside for cycling and fun activity from 7 am to 2pm on Sundays, promoting tourism in a big way. Mumbai has incorporated it in a small way in its Sunday Streets.

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