The bicycle is an eco-friendly, noiseless, non-polluting mode of transport and it is interesting that it is now making its way into the ‘mainstream’ commuting sphere in the city
The encroachment stretches from Badhwar Park to the Taj President Hotel, Cuffe Parade. Pic/Shadab Khan
Mumbai’s A-ward—located at the southern tip of the city with the area including Colaba, Cuffe Parade and CST—launched a rent-a-bike facility at different locations on Sunday morning. Several bicycle stands have been put up at different locations here and citizens will be able to rent a bicycle for last-mile connectivity to their workplace after disembarking from buses or trains. Alternately, citizens can even rent these bikes for weekly and monthly periods, keeping them at work or home to use for multiple trips while in their possession.
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The bicycle is an eco-friendly, noiseless, non-polluting mode of transport and it is interesting that it is now making its way into the ‘mainstream’ commuting sphere in the city. Having said that, it is essential that those who avail of the facility for even a short commute wear a good cycling helmet. If cycling at night, it is important to have some kind of reflective clothing or tape, to enhance visibility.
In the absence of cycling lanes or tracks, be doubly careful about safety. Keep to the sides and do not try to overtake vehicles. Even as a cyclist, adhere to traffic signals and rules. Being on a pedal bike does not give you a license to break rules or ride as you wish on Mumbai roads, without a care for pedestrians. Remember that a bicycle too can hurt a person, so you have to ride responsibly at all times, both for yourself and others.
Furthermore, people need to respect the facility and see that they treat the cycles with care, once they are rented out. While the company that launched this facility did say they would have an on-ground team to guard against vandalism at night, they hoped that citizens, too, would be vigilant and report crimes. Though challenging, cycling for last-mile connectivity in Mumbai seems exciting and we must do everything in our power to make it work.
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