Cyclists discouraged by lack of dedicated lanes, parking spaces

We should realise that there is not much space available on roads for vehicles and it is time to start using cycles for short commutes. Our city has just one cycling track on Cubbon Road and the others are still on the drawing board.

We heard that there was opposition for parking space in some areas, which is unfair. The corporators should be leaders encouraging people to use cycles and they should help by providing infrastructure in their respective areas. If local residents and corporators think that the cycle parking hubs are hindering pedestrians, then they can help the civic body in finding an alternate space, as they have a better idea about their area or ward.

The slow pace of work on cycle tracks and other related projects is putting us in bad light in the international sustainability world. Representatives from the Netherlands too want us to encourage and help promote use of cycles. But inaction and slow execution of projects is discouraging everyone.

In our city, 2000 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads can accommodate cycle tracks and work needs to be taken up at the earliest. Also people should be motivated to use cycles. Currently, there are only 4,000 cycles under the PBS system, while the city needs not less than 1 lakh cycles.

We also would like to have a separate commissioner handling the bicycle and walking projects in the BBMP.

The writer is a Bicycle Mayor