Bangalore:
Any venture that helps ease Bangalore's traffic would be welcome. At this time of rising fuel prices and increasing air pollution, a new city initiative hopes to do exactly that by encouraging the use of cycles. So after a monthly 'Bus Day' that encourages people to use public transport, Bangalore will now also observe 'Cycle Day'.
At the launch of the initiative, the mayor of Bangalore, B S Sathyanarayan, got out of his official car and hopped on to a cycle for a quick ride around Cubbon Park. He hopes residents of the city will follow his example.
"When we were youngsters, we would only use cycle for everything. But now nobody uses it. It is good for health. Given the increase in pollution and traffic in Bangalore, people should use only cycle at least three days a week," he said.
With overcrowded roads and indisciplined traffic, this little two-wheeler could also be seen as risky. But die-hard cycle fans like 75-year-old Janardhan, a retired railway officer, are undeterred.
"If there will be more cycles on the road, it will be safer. I also feared it in the beginning and met with 10-12 accidents. But still I did not give it up. Because of cycling, I have been able to maintain my health and I have been riding full marathons, half marathons 10km - I don't leave any" he told NDTV.
The 'Cycle Day' campaign has the support of Bangalore's traffic police, the metro, the state bus service, which will allow commuters to carry their cycles on Volvo buses at no extra cost, and also the Directorate of Urban Land Transport.
"The idea is that there are a lot of cycling enthusiasts in our city and cycling and walking are more sustainable modes. So the idea is to encourage people to embrace this mode," says Manjula, the Commissioner of the Directorate of Urban Land Transport.
The launch only involved a quiet ride around the park. Getting people to get onto the city's busy roads on a bicycle will take quite an effort - but at least, this is a start.
At the launch of the initiative, the mayor of Bangalore, B S Sathyanarayan, got out of his official car and hopped on to a cycle for a quick ride around Cubbon Park. He hopes residents of the city will follow his example.
"When we were youngsters, we would only use cycle for everything. But now nobody uses it. It is good for health. Given the increase in pollution and traffic in Bangalore, people should use only cycle at least three days a week," he said.
With overcrowded roads and indisciplined traffic, this little two-wheeler could also be seen as risky. But die-hard cycle fans like 75-year-old Janardhan, a retired railway officer, are undeterred.
"If there will be more cycles on the road, it will be safer. I also feared it in the beginning and met with 10-12 accidents. But still I did not give it up. Because of cycling, I have been able to maintain my health and I have been riding full marathons, half marathons 10km - I don't leave any" he told NDTV.
The 'Cycle Day' campaign has the support of Bangalore's traffic police, the metro, the state bus service, which will allow commuters to carry their cycles on Volvo buses at no extra cost, and also the Directorate of Urban Land Transport.
"The idea is that there are a lot of cycling enthusiasts in our city and cycling and walking are more sustainable modes. So the idea is to encourage people to embrace this mode," says Manjula, the Commissioner of the Directorate of Urban Land Transport.
The launch only involved a quiet ride around the park. Getting people to get onto the city's busy roads on a bicycle will take quite an effort - but at least, this is a start.
