Finally, Bengaluru gets a grip on cycle tracks

Dedicated cycling tracks across the Central Business District, the latest initiative by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport, could be the answer to Bengaluru’s growing traffic snarls. The DULT’s letter to the BBMP requesting the construction of these lanes, met with a lukewarm response from the latter, who claim there are too many obstructions. The concept is a good one, although urban experts and cyclists remain skeptical about whether this model can work without adequate infrastructure, reports Aksheev Thakur.

Relief is on the way for Bengaluru commuters, for whom the long traffic snarls and smoke-filled congestion makes travelling through the city so dreary. The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) is now planning to have separate cycle tracks in two zones of the Central Business District (CBD).

Over 357 parking hubs have been identified as DULT is now looking forward to the dock-less technology, compared with the earlier proposal which included docking stations in each zone. N. Murali Krishna, Special Officer, DULT, says the logic behind doing away with docking stations is to help save money that can be utilised in designing the cycle tracks themselves. "After the initial success of the project in Mysore and   Bhopal,  we found a growing demand in Bengaluru too, which led to the idea. The tenders for bicycles will be finalised by the end of December," he added.

Read | Guest column: Why is the BBMP averse to constructing more tracks?

DULT, which had originally planned to procure over 6,000 bicycles, is now looking at an even larger number, as docking stations have been replaced with parking hubs.

Elated by the idea of having cycle tracks in Bengaluru, urban experts believe the project will meet its fair share of challenges. The re-imagining of streets, keeping pedestrians in mind and providing safe infrastructure is a pertinent aspect, in which the BBMP is a major stakeholder. The non-motorised infrastructure includes walkways for pedestrian safety apart from cycle tracks.  

Urban Expert, V Ravichandar said, "Our infrastructure is under stress but cycle tracks are still possible. However, if the hierarchy prioritises private vehicles, or continues to do, we might as well forget about the project." In 2012, civic agencies painted cycle lanes in Jayanagar and Basavangudi but the project backfired as the reserved cycle lanes were used by motorists. Ravichandar alludes to the fallacy of painting cycle lanes, saying a six-inch barrier should be built in order to maintain lane discipline.

Krishna, however, promises that there will be a significant gap between roads and the footpaths where the parking hubs will come up. A physical barrier for the safety of the cyclists will also be built.

Having a separate cycle track in the city with over 67 lakh vehicles on the road promises to be a herculean task but the BBMP, which has received a letter from DULT to construct the cycle tracks on roads where white-topping is underway, maintains they will provide the separate cycle tracks. "At present, we have cycle tracks on TenderSure roads. We will provide the tracks along the 22-km stretch of service lane between  Mysore road and KR Puram," said KT Nagaraj, chief engineer, BBMP.

Trees provide obstructions in certain interior parts of the city, Nagaraj pointed out, saying it is not possible to have cycle tracks everywhere. The BBMP will however look at the possibility of these tracks in non CBD areas as well.
The special officer of the DULT said that the Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) model, although it is aimed at citizens employed with different sectors, will generate employment and be feasible for tourists too. 

‘Dedicated lanes will be a challenge’
On November 14, the Directorate of Urban Land Transportation (DULT) had written a letter to BBMP asking them to construct dedicated tracks for bicycles wherever the white-topping and TenderSure work is taking place.

"The DULT is implementing the Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) project in the city. A dedicated track is required at HSR Layout, Koramangala, Adugodi, Indiranagar, Ulsoor, Vasanthnagar, HRBR Layout, HBR Layout, Kanchenahalli and other places in the first phase as approved by the Cabinet," reads DULT's letter. It said that the design would require 3-meter or more wide space depending on the availability for pedestrians and cyclists. "The BBMP is already working on white topping of the roads in the city. Once the white topping is completed it would be difficult to accommodate cycle tracks or to change the structure of the road.  So the BBMP is requested to accommodate at least 3-meter width on the footpaths along the roads where the white topping or TenderSure work is going on," the letter read. In response to the letter, the BBMP Official said, "It is difficult to provide dedicated lanes in the city. Continuity is the major problem and there is a lot of obstruction. Depending on the feasibility, we will see if we can." 

Ola, other startups get in line to provide cycles on hire
As the government makes an effort towards replicating the Mysuru model here in the city, a slew of start-ups have come to the fore, ensuring a healthy level of competition.

"We are piloting Ola Pedal in various campuses to begin with. Bicycles are a sustainable and efficient alternative for first and last mile connectivity in our cities. With the Ola app also catering to the people's cycling needs, the initiative could go a long way in solving larger issues like pollution and congestion in our cities, especially for short distance trips, said the Ola spokesperson, adding, "We are seeing a massive interest in Ola Pedal from campuses across the city. We're working on expanding the scope of this offering in the weeks to come."

Another startup, Yulu, which means 'simple in Chinese, has been launched in Bengaluru by Amit Gupta, the co-founder of InMobi. Through this app, users can find the nearest bicycle and use it via a QR code.

"It is imperative that DULT and other companies stop looking at the project as a business proposal and focus instead on the safety issues of cyclists," said Dinesh Sharma, a cyclist from the city. Other cyclists echoed the sentiment, saying, "How are we expected to commute in this traffic? What safety measures are being taken? They should look at the China model before this is implemented," said a cyclist.

Murali Krishna from DULT said, "It will take upto five months to begin. Yulu has said they will start services in a month. However, they are all talking only about a few hundred bicycles each. Our tariff plans are equally competitive as well. The Mysuru model offers the first 30 minutes for free, followed by a charge of Rs 5. We are not looking the competitive aspect right now, at least not until the full-fledged launch of our services."