Civic body gets cracking on Navi Mumbai’s first cycling track, may complete it by end of year

The proposed track will be a part of the second phase of development of Jewel of Navi Mumbai Park along Palm Beach road, Nerul.

In a first, the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) is planning to develop a cycle track for its residents in Nerul. The proposed track will be a part of the second phase of development of Jewel of Navi Mumbai Park along the Palm Beach road.

Following the introduction of the cycle track in Mumbai and other cities, NMMC is palnning to develop one for its residents. (HT File/Representational Image)

“Most cities have developed cycle tracks. Why should Navi Mumbai lag behind? We are considering the feasibility of the project near the park. According to our plan, the track will be 2.5 kilometre long,” said Ankush Chavan, additional commissioner of NMMC.

“Once all our reports are ready, we will send the proposal to the general body and will start working on it after their approval,” he added.

Sources from NMMC told Hindustan Times that the civic body had spent around Rs18 crore to develop the first phase of Jewel of Navi Mumbai park along with its jogging track, open gymnasium and the amphitheatre.

Chavan said that the budget for the second phase of development has not yet been decided.

Mohan Dagaonkar, city engineer of NMMC said that apart from the cycle track, they are also planning a walking trail and a fish pond in the second phase of the park.

“Once it is approved by the general body, the tendering process will begin. If the process is smooth, the project will be ready by the end of this year,” Dagaonkar said.

Another senior officer from the NMMC’s engineering department said that the civic body will have to incur an expenditure of around Rs7 crore for the second phase of development.

Last year in December, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had opened the 11km cycling track in Mumbai between NCPA and Worli sea link. BMC had also tied up with various organisations to make bicycles available to those who did not own one, or could not bring theirs to the spot.