Hire e-bikes to travel across Chandigarh from December

The electric motor installed on the cycle is meant to add to human power generated through pedalling and not completely replace it.

Come December, city residents will be able to rent e-bikes from around 60 cycle docks across the city, in addition to the ordinary cycles.

In the first phase, 600 cycles, including e-bikes, will be available on hourly rent basis at 60 dock stations across the city. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The initial plan of the public bicycle sharing system comprised only ordinary cycles. But, after a recent meeting between the Chandigarh Smart City Ltd (CSCL) and the private company entrusted with the implementation of the project, even pedal-assisted bicycles or electric-bicycles (e-bikes) will be made available under the project.

E-bikes use rechargeable batteries and can reach speed of up to 30km per hour. The electric motor installed on the cycle is meant to add to human power generated through pedalling and not completely replace it.

“In a recent meeting with the company, we requested them to provide e-bikes in addition to ordinary cycles under the public bicycle project. The company has agreed to our request at no additional cost,” said NP Sharma, chief general manager, CSCL.

The first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed by November-end. Cyclists in city can expect to start hiring cycles on rent in September itself when a few cycles docks are expected to be ready.

In the first phase, 600 cycles, including e-bikes, will be available on hourly rent basis at 60 dock stations across the city. After the project is completed, which is expected by June 2021, as many as 5,000 ordinary cycles and 600 e-bikes will be available at 617 dock stations.