Making the Capital a cycling destination

Many cities in the world, like Amsterdam, New York, Paris and Berlin, where bicycle sightseeing tours are pretty popular, thanks to active government involvement.

Many cities in the world, like Amsterdam, New York, Paris and Berlin, where bicycle sightseeing tours are pretty popular, thanks to active government involvement.

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Nalin Sinha, programme director of the Institute For Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) India, an organisation involved in developing environmentally sustainable transportation, says Delhi to has potential to have heritage cycles tours.

His organisation is working on a cycling map and collating important information for cyclists.
“We are in talks with the DTTDC (Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation) and the mayor of Delhi to promote cycling in heritage areas of the city,” he said. “Cycling is the best way to discover the city in an environment-friendly manner.”

Some of his suggestions to promote cycling tours in the city are:
The city should be divided into heritage zones with an integrated cycle network and segregated lanes for cycles .
There should be secure cycles stands near the monuments.
The government should create car-free zones in places like Chandni Chowk, Connaught Place, Paharganj, and Qutub Minar.
The government should create cycle rental services on the lines of Velib' -- a public cycle rental programme in Paris.

The Vélib’