Mumbai likely to get dedicated Sunday cycling tracks soon | Mumbai news - Hindustan Times
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Mumbai likely to get dedicated Sunday cycling tracks soon

Hindustan Times | By, Mumbai
Oct 19, 2017 03:47 PM IST

Civic chief has asked all 24 ward officers to identify roads that can be used for dedicated cycle tracks

After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) proposed a 22-km cycle track from the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) to the Bandra-Worli Sea link, following Yuva Sena chief’s Aaditya Thackeray’s request, civic commissioner Ajoy Mehta has asked all 24 ward officers to study the feasibility of cycling tracks across the city.

The cycling track is meant to curb encroachments and give citizens another environment-friendly transportation method.(CMO MAHARASHTRA/TWITTER (REPRESENTATIONAL PHOTO))
The cycling track is meant to curb encroachments and give citizens another environment-friendly transportation method.(CMO MAHARASHTRA/TWITTER (REPRESENTATIONAL PHOTO))

Last month, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis gave his nod to the BMC’s plan to build a 39-km cycling and jogging track along the Tansa pipeline

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In his monthly meeting on Saturday, Mehta has asked all ward officers to identify roads suitable for cycling tracks that can be used on Sundays, similar to the one proposed between the NCPA and the sea link. As per the initial plan, the south Mumbai track will be functional between 6am and 11am. The track on both north- and south-bound directions will cover the following route: NCPA-Marine Drive-Babulnath-Peddar Road-Annie Besant Road-Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan Marg and the Bandra-Worli Sea Link.

In 2016, as part of the “Unclog Mumbai” initiative, HT had pointed out the need for dedicated cycle tracks, similar to ones in other international cities. The initiative is meant curb encroachments and give citizens an environment-friendly transportation method, after suburban railways, buses and Metros.

This is the fourth such initiative by the BMC in the past few months. Apart from the Tansa project and the south Mumbai cycling track, another experiment was initiated at Carter Road a few months ago. However, it failed owing to traffic issues.

The BMC is looking to complete the Tansa project phase-wise by 2019. The civic body had earlier planned to throw the first phase open by Diwali. “This is a welcome move, but authorities should keep in mind a holistic approach and promote it as a new mode of transport,” said Ashok Datar, transport expert.

IN THE PIPELINE

Last month, CM Devendra Fadnavis gave his nod to the BMC’s to build a cycling and jogging track along Tansa pipeline.

The 39-km-long track is expected to be one of the longest in the country and will stretch from Mulund to Antop Hill.

Rs300 crore is the estimated cost of the project, which is expected to be open to citizens by 2019.

HOW IT WILL BE DONE

Work will be undertaken in phases as encroachments along the pipeline must be removed. In an earlier survey, the BMC had identified more than 15,000 structures along the pipeline.

ABOUT THE TRACK

The track will create the shortest route connecting the eastern suburbs and parts of central Mumbai such as Sion and Wadala.

There will be 40 entry-exit points along the track.

19 railway stations, seven Metro and four monorail stations to be connected

OTHER PLANS

The state also plans to build cycling tracks along arterial roads in 10 major cities in Maharashtra. It has decided to launch a pilot project in these cities and later extend it across the state, based on the response.

The state public works department will test the project in Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Amravati, Chandrapur, Kolhapur, Solapur, Latur, Aurangabad and Jalgaon, on roads under its jurisdiction

SOURCES OF INSPIRATION

Notable success stories come from Netherlands and Denmark, where investment in cycling tracks is the highest.

Cycling accounts for nearly 50% of the transportation in Amsterdam.

Closer home, the Singapore model can be best used by Mumbai. Singapore’s park connector network , a web of dedicated lanes for walking and cycling, links hundred of parks.

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