The city of two-wheelers is still struggling to get rid of its status as one of the most polluted cities in the country.
The city of two-wheelers is still struggling to get rid of its status as one of the most polluted cities in the country. As India plays host to World Environment Day on June 5, social activists are demanding that authorities at the municipal corporation should come up with a comprehensive cycling policy and start a dedicated non-motorised transport (NMT) cell to promote pollution-free commuting. To create awareness about cycling as a non-polluting means of commuting and the need to encourage it with suitable infrastructure, activists are planning to hold a bicycle rally on June 5. At present there are several patches of cycle tracks in the city, which make up to a total of 180 kilometres, but these have proved to be the most encroached upon parts of city roads and remain highly unsafe for cycling.
The solitary cyclist: There is just one man cycling on the cycle track
near Fergusson College Gate No. 2 that leads to Dyaneshwar Paduka
Chowk on FC Road. Pic/Jignesh Mistry
Cycle track network
The NGO Parisar has taken the stand that the city needs a comprehensive cycle policy which includes an integrated cycle track network plan. Integrated cycle network means all places such as schools, colleges, places of work and major transport hubs should be connected with safe cycling tracks, said Sujit Patwardhan, a social activist who runs Parisar. "Laying cycle tracks requires only Rs 5 crore to Rs 6 crore in investment, as opposed to building flyovers or grade separators, which costs Rs 25 crore to Rs 30 crore to the PMC," said Patwardhan.
Parisar is demanding that existing cycle tracks should be radically improved, with all schools having safe cycling zones. The cyclists must be given prime spots for parking at all offices and public places and the central city should be made a 'park-and-ride' zone so that people will be encouraged to use a combination of 'walk-cycle-public-transport' in that area, said Patwardhan. "Streets need to be made cycle friendly by reducing the average speed of vehicles. Junctions must be provided with proper facilities for cyclists and pedestrians," he said.
Dedicated NMT cell
Besides the cycle policy, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) should start a dedicated NMT cell, which should have qualified staff and proper budget allocation, said Patwardhan. "Roads and areas like the old Holkar Bridge and Laxmi Road should be made 'NMT only', creating greater public space and also a place where cyclists can ride without any fear of traffic," he said.
Dropping percentage
ACCORDING to activists promoting pedal power, the share of people using bicycles as their mode of transport to work was 18 per cent in 2004. This percentage has been dropping over the years and the authorities have not even bothered to conduct surveys related to this, said activist Sujit Patwardhan. "London has about 300 km of integrated cycle tracks and the percentage of cyclists there has doubled, whereas here it is falling," he said.
The Other Side
AN officer from the PMC's Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) department - who requested not to be named - said that about 180 km of cycle tracks have been created in the city out of the proposed 200 km. "The PMC is working towards making these cycling tracks safer and increasing their connectivity," the officer said.
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