Though Chandigarh has a devoted 210-km cycle observe community and a public bike sharing system, it must combine the 2 to encourage extra individuals to modify to biking, in line with RITES.

In a report submitted to the UT administration not too long ago, Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES) has reiterated the findings from its interim report submitted in July, the place it had acknowledged that 40% of Chandigarh residents weren’t glad with the services offered for non- motorized transport (NMT), corresponding to strolling and biking.

To encourage extra NMT takers, it has once more really useful a stronger community of footpaths, cycle lanes and public bike sharing (PBS) system, when it comes to each amount and high quality, throughout the tricity.

Working on a complete mobility plan to resolve the visitors woes within the tricity, RITES, in its report, has acknowledged that Chandigarh has round 250 PBS stations. But these have to be built-in with the cycle tracks to kind a complete NMT community.

In Chandigarh, RITES has additionally advised to increase the cycle observe community by one other 25 km alongside main roads, whereas in Panchkula and Mohali, 130 km of cycle tracks every are required subsequent to primary roads, together with PBS stations.

Only 9% go for biking, strolling for every day commute

RITES by means of its survey discovered that solely 9% of Chandigarh go for strolling or biking for every day commute. The common journey size of cycle journey is 3.8 km and the typical length is 20 minutes.

“Usage of cycles in Panchkula and Mohali is also very low and needs to be encouraged for environmental considerations,” states the report.

With the event of cycle tracks and integrating them with the PBS system, in step with Chandigarh, utilization of cycles could also be elevated, which can assist in attaining the aims of sustainable mobility, the report additional factors out.

It provides that the present services in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula are additionally insufficient for heavy pedestrian visitors.

PBS system in UT hit by vandalism

The UT administration has spent over 22 crore on building of the 210-km cycle observe community within the metropolis over the previous 5 years. A biking coverage, envisaging 10% devoted parking house in buildings, cycle containers in any respect visitors alerts and a four-second head begin to cyclists in any respect visitors lights, can be within the works.

The bold PBS mission was launched in Chandigarh in August final yr. After launching 1,250 cycles every in Phase 1 in August 2021 and Phase 2 in February 2022, the agency managing the mission plans to launch an equal quantity within the subsequent two phases, taking the full to five,000. But the mission has been hit by over 3,000 instances of vandalism because the launch, inflicting large losses to the company. Absence of advertisers to maintain the mission afloat has made issues worse.

Backed in opposition to the wall, the agency has requested for additional extension to launch Phases 3 and 4 of the mission, whose unique roll-out was slated in April 2022. The company has sought time to start out Phase 3 in December 2022 and Phase 4 in April 2023. The first extension was allowed until September 2022.

In the previous yr, a couple of lakh customers have downloaded the official cellular app to ebook the cycles. On common, round 1,200 customers trip the cycles per day, whereas the quantity goes as much as 1,600 on public holidays.

The cycles could be rented for 10 for half-an-hour and members can lease it for 5. One can register as a member for a yr by making a one-time cost of 500.

Mohali’s cycle tracks hanging fireplace since 2019

In Mohali, the municipal company (MC) has been sitting on building of cycle tracks since 2019. The civic physique had determined to assemble a 6-km cycle observe from Phase 11 to Spice Chowk in Industrial Area, Phase 7 (until cremation floor) , at a price of 2.27 crore. But work has not even begun three years later, leaving the town bereft of secure biking infrastructure, a should earlier than roll out of a PBS scheme.

Panchkula tracks in tatters

While Panchkula was the primary within the tricity to launch a PBS system in 2019, with 200 cycles and 20 docking stations, the town’s civic physique has failed to keep up the cycle tracks, discouraging, relatively than encouraging, using cycles. The cycles could be rented for 5 for half-an-hour for as much as 14 hours utilizing the official cellular app.

What’s wanted in Chandigarh

Development of extra footpaths and cycle lanes

Dedicated and steady footpaths and cycle tracks throughout tricity

Robust public bike sharing scheme

Installation of pelican (manually managed) alerts, excessive mast lights

Pedestrian crossing at junctions

Prioritising parking house for cycles

25 km extra cycle observe community alongside main roads

In Mohali and Panchkula, RITES has advised 130 km of cycle tracks alongside main roads.