Soon, cycle along roads and below Metro-1; stands near rly stations

If all goes according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) plan, Mumbai will soon have a dedicated cycle track, running alongside some major arterial

If all goes according to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) plan, Mumbai will soon have a dedicated cycle track, running alongside some major arterial roads as part of its rent-a-cycle initiative. The BMC also plans to construct a track under Metro-1 corridor.

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Civic chief Praveen Pardeshi on Wednesday directed assistant commissioners of all wards to shortlist roads where dedicated cycle tracks can be built, and shortlist locations near railway and Metro stations to set up stands. These stands will have provisions for citizens to rent cycles for short distances. “The idea is to not only promote a clean energy commute, but to increase connectivity between homes and railway stations, bus stops and Metro stations,” Pardeshi said.

The BMC is currently in the process of signing memorandums of understanding with citizen organisations or companies which will rent out cycles at the stands. Ward officials have been asked to focus on roads which have already been made no-parking zones recently, and hence, have more driving space. “We are tying up with Smart Commute to create a cycle track under the elevated Metro-1 corridor,” Pardeshi said. This will involve creating two cycle tracks of one-metre width each on either side of the Metro corridor’s pillars, along the median of the road. The tracks will be secured with guardrails. Feroza Suresh, founder of Smart Commute, said, “When I visited Sao Paolo in Brazil, I saw cycle tracks along the median of the road. Mumbai is linear and SV Road runs along the western suburbs. It makes sense to create a track here.”

At traffic signals, the tracks will have entry and exit points. A track will be built between Versova and Azad Nagar Metro stations on a pilot basis, Feroza said.