Number of pedallers rise in Bengaluru, but not enough space for cycling | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Number of pedallers rise in Bengaluru, but not enough space for cycling

ByArun Dev
Mar 22, 2021 11:17 AM IST

The cycling community in Bengaluru may be growing but the city has perhaps not fared well in providing cycle-centric infrastructure to its citizens

The cycling community in Bengaluru may be growing but the city has perhaps not fared well in providing cycle-centric infrastructure to its residents. Even as the newly-developed cycle lanes in the Central Business District (CBD) appear to be a hit, riders feel the overall number of tracks available remains insufficient to enable them to pedal without running into traffic or pedestrians.

The use of cycles for commuting in Bengaluru doubled between 2017 and 2020, according to an app that crowdsourced information.(HT Photo)
The use of cycles for commuting in Bengaluru doubled between 2017 and 2020, according to an app that crowdsourced information.(HT Photo)

Satya Shankran, Bengaluru’s first ‘Bicycle Mayor’ and founding member of Praja-Raag, a city-based citizens’ group, said the pace of the construction of bicycle lanes was pretty slow.

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Speaking to HT, Shankran said that as per the comprehensive mobility plan of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Pallike (BBMP), the original plan was to develop 174 km of cycle tracks in the city. “We took up the matter with the authorities and got it changed to developing 600 km in the next 10 years. But this is still not enough,” he said.

He said the city has 14,000 km of roads, of which only around 2,000 km are 15 m wide or more and ideal for cycling. “Going by this, the current plan provides only 30% of the roads for cycle tracks. Even if we agree on these plans, the pace of development is slow,” he said.

Over the years, the cycling community in the city has grown at a steady pace. While there is no official data on this, according to CycleToWork, an app that crowd sources information in Bengaluru, the use of cycle for commuting doubled between 2017 and 2020.

Cycle rides for commuting have declined but there has been a substantial increase in number of rides for recreation(Ht Graphics)
Cycle rides for commuting have declined but there has been a substantial increase in number of rides for recreation(Ht Graphics)

While it was expected that the ridership would drop during the pandemic, it, however, increased threefold.

Rajesh Jain, a software developer from Marathahalli, said one of the biggest problems with cycling tracks in the city is lack of continuity. “I understand that cycle lanes are present in the city but there needs to be a plan for a seamless track in the city. As of now, they are constructing tracks wherever smart city projects are coming up. But I’ve noticed that they are in patches. There should be a vision to connect the city using cycle lanes.”

Meanwhile, the BBMP is planning to include cycle lanes in Bengaluru Smart City Limited (BSCL)’s plans to develop 35 km of roads in CBD. The latest cycle track being built by BSCL is the 5 km-long from Minsk Square to Basaveshwara Circle. DULT commissioner V Manjula said the department is conducting a field study to identify roads where lanes could be created. “DULT has submitted drawings for the roads already. It is up to the BBMP to take up projects.”

DULT commissioner V Manjula said the department is conducting a field study to identify roads where these lanes could be created. “DULT has submitted drawings for the roads already. It is up to the BBMP to take up these projects.”

Manjula added that the work on a 35 km-long cycle track between Silk Board and Lowry Junction, as part of the Non-Motorised Transit project, is underway.

The DULT commissioner also said that the department has received crowdsourced maps and data on user preferences to identify new routes. It is also using the CycleToWork app for data on cycle rides by employees belonging to 156 organisations to develop infrastructure.

Urban expert V Ravichandar said it is important to develop hubs every 5 km in the city with all facilities to ensure people do not have to travel long distances. “Once the need for long-distance travel within the city is limited, we shall see more people walking or using cycles and creating cycle lanes would encourage this further,” he said.

According to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, in 2019, Bengaluru reported 47 accidents involving bicycles. At least 43 cyclists lost their lives while 29 others sustained severe injuries during this period.

“We are also keen on getting the cycle lanes because it prevents accidents and encourages people to use bicycles. We are supporting this effort,” Ravikante Gowda, joint commissioner of police, traffic, said.

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