Chandigarh: Bicycles damaged, missing; sharing scheme hits rough road

Designed to strengthen last-mile connectivity, the project was rolled out in four phases, with docking stations installed across key locations- tourist hubs, educational institutions, office areas, markets and residential sectors

Launched with much fanfare in 2020 under the Smart Cities Mission, the bicycles under Chandigarh’s sharing system, which was once projected as a symbol of clean and efficient urban mobility, have been losing their sheen, according to city residents. People say most bicycles are unusable, defeating the project’s purpose. The civic body has assured that the matter will be looked into.

Mayor Saurabh Joshi said the smart bike project remains an excellent initiative, considering its environmental benefits and its utility for residents and tourists. (HT Photo)

In its early years, the system, with nearly 3 lakh registered users, recorded an average of around 31,000 rides per month. Over a 24-month period, users clocked 8.3 lakh rides, covering 33 lakh kilometres and contributing to an estimated reduction of 825 metric tonnes of carbon emissions.

Designed to strengthen last-mile connectivity, the project was rolled out in four phases, with docking stations installed across key locations- tourist hubs, educational institutions, office areas, markets and residential sectors. Features such as GPS-enabled locks, mobile app integration, and real-time monitoring through the Integrated Command and Control Centre were aimed at ensuring efficient operations.

However, cracks in the system had begun to appear even before the winding up of Chandigarh Smart City Limited (CSCL) in March 2025. Following CSCL’s closure, operations were handed over to the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation (MC). While official data claims that 4,996 bicycles remain in the system, on-ground observations indicate that a significant number are either missing, non-functional or in need of repairs.

By this month, several docking stations, especially around Panjab University, remain empty for long periods. Even where cycles are available, many are unusable due to issues like deflated tyres, broken seats and damaged frames.

Varnika, a Panjab University student, said she used the service frequently two years ago but has since stopped. “They were convenient earlier, but now most of them are just not usable,” she said.

Navya, a resident of Sector 13, said, “These bike stands just lie empty now. You rarely see any functional bicycles there.” A resident of Sector 35 also flagged reliability concerns. “Earlier, you could depend on finding a working cycle nearby. Now, even if you locate one, it’s often damaged or won’t unlock,” he said.

Mayor Saurabh Joshi said the smart bike project remains an excellent initiative, considering its environmental benefits and its utility for residents and tourists. “I will review the feasibility of the project to decide the further course of action,” he said.