In an ambitious bid to promote pollution-free transportation and ensure last mile connectivity, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) is set to rent out cycles on the streets. Unlike the previous initiatives wherein the users had to return the cycles at the point of pickup, the civic body would allow one to deposit the cycles at any of the designated places as per their convenience.
Officials believe this would encourage people to use cycles for their daily commutation between their homes and places like Metro stations, bus stops and other neighbouring destinations. The SDMC has roped in a Gujarat-based NGO to implement the project.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the SDMC with the Centre for Green Mobility (CGM), an Ahmedabad-based NGO. The CGM will be providing technical assistance and advisory support for the pilot project of the bicycle sharing system. The pilot project will be launched in South Campus and Malviya Nagar.
“The NGO will assess the feasibility of this project. Accordingly, the pilot project will be launched in South Zone and depending on its success, the project will be launched in all zones,” said Satish Upadhayay, Chairman of the Standing Committee in SDMC. Officials said the pilot project will be launched at nearly two dozen locations in South Delhi from where the cycle sharing will be available at a nominal fee of Rs 2 or Rs 5.
According to SDMC officials, studies have found that nearly 20 per cent people in Delhi use public transport. Nearly 80 lakh vehicles ply on Delhi’s roads everyday and the pollution level in the city is 10 times the respirable standards. Recent studies show that Delhi is the fastest developing cities in the country, having nearly 80 lakh motor vehicles in the city. According to reports, 42 per cent people in the city use public transport while only 12 per cent people use cycle as their mode of commuting.
It is noteworthy that the Delhi Government had earlier started cycles on rental on BRT corridor but the same failed to catch up with the people as it did not allow the free use of cycles.