Bicycle Mayor of Hyderabad urges govt to make city cycle-friendly

Hyderabad: The city of Hyderabad is home to almost two lakh cyclists, ranging from daily commuters to fitness enthusiasts, and still, there are a few issues that are hampering the growth of cyclists in the city. While Hyderabad does have dedicated cycling paths in many parts of the city and is quite ahead of many […]

Hyderabad: The city of Hyderabad is home to almost two lakh cyclists, ranging from daily commuters to fitness enthusiasts, and still, there are a few issues that are hampering the growth of cyclists in the city. While Hyderabad does have dedicated cycling paths in many parts of the city and is quite ahead of many other cities in the country, there are yet a few areas where a sense of improvement is still required.

From being aware of understanding cyclists and pedestrians on the road to stricter law enforcement for any accidents to promoting and incentivising cycling usage, there is still room for improvement. To see Hyderabad as the most Cycling Friendly City in India, the Bicycle Mayor of Hyderabad, Santhana Selvan, has requested the government through a petition with the 5Es – Education, Enforcement, Engineering, and Encouragement and Empowerment.

Selvan calls for promoting and mandating active mobility which involves using cycles for local transportation needs and dedicating neighbourhood shopping streets as walking/cycling only to provide adequate space for physical distancing.

Speaking about the requirements, Santhana Selvan said: “We want a city wherein we see our children riding bicycles to schools without any parents’ supervision and problems. For this purpose, we have developed these 5Es and would request the government to help with promoting and mandating active mobility wherein all quick errands can be done via walking and/or cycling.”

As part of education, Selvan says that there is a need for rigorous education at the RTA level to create awareness about cyclists and pedestrians on the road to other road users – which include two-wheelers and cars.

“Tests must be conducted at RTA level to inculcate knowledge among people that the road is not just for two-wheelers, cars or big vehicles but also for cyclists and pedestrians,” he says. He also informed that there was a need for strict laws for any accidents or violations affecting cyclists.

For the engineering part, Selvan sought a bicycle lanes network across the city for end-to-end commuting purposes, bicycle parking in public transportation stations and public bicycle sharing.

“We also seek more incentives and promotion for the usage of bicycles and the government can look at providing free bicycles to the economically backward,” he said.

In terms of encouragement and empowerment, the Bicycle Mayor of Hyderabad also sought more push from the government to use more of smart cycles and bicycles so that the public in turn also recognises the benefits of using cycle for daily commute needs.

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