Cycling is a pollution-free, healthy and costless transport; it has become absolutely necessary to encourage it. Very good results have been achieved in developed countries, which have adopted cycling in a big way, in solving the problem of traffic jams in cities. Keeping this in view, Uttar Pradesh government has decided to promote cycling in the State and now cycling tracks will be necessarily built in new cities.
Principal Secretary, Infrastructure & Industrial Development, Mr Sanjiv Saran stated this in a meeting of heads, chief engineers and senior officials of NOIDA, Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA) and Agra Development Authority in Gautam Buddh University, Greater Noida today. He said that cycle tracks will be constructed in cities like Greater Noida, NOIDA, lucknow and Agra subject to the availability of space on the roadsides. Cycle stands will also be built according to the need, so that people start using bicycles in crowded markets instead of four-wheelers. It will help in mitigating problems of pollution and traffic jams to a great extent.
It may be noted that a delegation of State government had visited Netherlands under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Minister to study the steps taken towards development of tourism, cycling, dairy products and floriculture. The meeting today was a follow-up action to discuss promotion of cycling tourism to attract Indian and international tourists to the State.
Very soon a delegation from Netherlands will undertake an extensive tour of the State to partner in this process.
Showing the video of cycling track system in countries like Netherlands, Mr Saran said that there were many road accidents before cycling tracks were built there but after the popularity of cycle tracks, number of road accidents had dropped considerably. He informed that an effective and useful cycling plan would be required to promote cycling, for which advice of experts was being sought.Chairman of NOIDA, Greater Noida and YEIDA – Mr Rama Raman informed cycle tracks and stands would be provided in NOIDA and Greater Noida. He said that it would be started from Gautam Buddh University. Cycle tracks and stands will be developed inside the university campus for students to move between different departments. After 2-3 months, when students become habitual of this system, power-vehicles will be banned inside the campus. likewise, advice of experts will be sought to develop cycle tracks and stands in industrial sector, sector-18 and labour chawk.
Cycles will be provided to employees and workers of industrial units and officers after consulting the entrepreneurs. Mr Raman said that safe cycle tracks will have to be built for children to use cycles to school. He said that Metro rail commuters use four-wheeler petrol or diesel vehicles to reach the metro station and park their vehicles there to use again for returning to homes. If secure cycle tracks are developed along the roads and cycle stands are provided on metro stations then people will certainly prefer to use cycles for commuting.