Cycle comes of age in Noida, to get dedicated tracks

If Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has his way, being a cyclist in Noida will soon put you in an exalted position. The new chief minister has directed the Noida authority to build dedicated cycling corridors on all main roads, around a city stadium, along the Noida-Greater Noida expressway and some other locations that are yet to be identified.

If Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has his way, being a cyclist in Noida will soon put you in an exalted position. The new chief minister has directed the Noida authority to build dedicated cycling corridors on all main roads, around a city stadium, along the Noida-Greater Noida expressway and some other locations that are yet to be identified.

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The authority has also been told to build, at a tentative budget of R150 crore, a stadium where “a whole range of cycling sports will be held”. Cycle is the symbol of Akhilesh’s Samajwadi Party.

The Noida authority has now rushed four engineers to attend a workshop on ‘developing infrastructure for non-motorised vehicles’ being held in Delhi.

Akhilesh claims he wants to promote the cycle as it’s healthy. But the young chief minister’s obsession with everything cycle can also stem from the fact that former state chief minister Mayawati of the Bahujan Samaj Party spent roughly R900 crore in building parks, memorials and statues of Dalit icons, herself and the elephant, her party’s political symbol.

“The authority is yet to zero-in on land for the stadium and is thinking of building it along the Noida-Greater Noida expressway,” said Pramanshu additional chief executive officer (ACEO), Noida authority.

He said the cycling tracks are likely to come up in sectors such as 151, 167, 168 and 137 of Noida and along the expressway.

“We will build them in a manner that residents won’t have to depend on motorised vehicles that pollute the environment,” Saran added.