11-km cycling track from Marine Drive to Worli in pipeline

Mumbai: Mumbaikars will soon get a new 11-km-long cycle track from Marine Drive to Worli. Although the planning for this project by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is still in a preliminary stage, once operational, the track will be open for public use on Sunday. It will provide the cyclists in the city with a comfortable 11 km long ride when the tracks are ready for use. 

“The track is still at the planning stage right now, and it will take a few more months for the execution of the plan. Starting from the NCPA at Marine Drive, the cyclists will be able to ride up to Worli on the proposed track. We will also be involving private organisations in this venture,” said a senior civic official. 

The Smart Commute Foundation, which believed in sustainable means of travel, would also be a part of the project. “The BMC had approached us for this project, post which, we performed the task of research and checking the feasibility of the project. Some of the challenges include encroachments and parking,” said Feroza Suresh from the foundation. 

According to the proposal, the track will be accessible for the public only on Sundays, between 5:30 am and 10 am. The track will be demarcated with signboards and thermoplastic paint, and as per the civic body, it will be a two-way ride. 

“A cycle track along the Marine Drive stretch sounds like a good idea since the cyclists often struggle to ride in such stretches. At Marine Drive, one can still find space for runners and those who exercise, but hardly any space for cyclists. However, if they are indeed planning for a cycling track there, it should be well-maintained, unlike the one at BKC,” said Parag Kamble, a cyclist who is a part of the Mumbai Travellers club.