Lack of dedicated tracks, parking space deters cycling on city roads: Enthusiasts

Ranchi: Cyclists on Tuesday alleged that dedicated cycle tracks and parking space are lacking in the city. They said that the absence of facilities coupled with an increasing number of vehicles has increased safety hazards for cyclists, who make up a significant portion of the population.

“Two-wheelers, four-wheelers and heavy vehicles ply on the same lane along with bicycles. In the absence of dedicated lanes, many fear to opt for cycling as a transportation mode. With all vehicles plying on narrow lanes, cyclists are at risk of meeting fatal accidents,” bicycle mayor of Ranchi, Kanishka Poddar, said.

Poddar said while a majority of the people either walk or cycle on city roads, “emphasis is put on making roads safer for vehicle owners neglecting the majority”. “The govt must ensure roads are safer for cyclists rather than launching public cycle sharing initiatives. Unless that is ensured, the initiatives will bear no fruit,” Poddar said.

A cyclist, Manish Kumar, said, “It is very difficult to pedal in the city. Moreover, vehicle owners often harass us by constantly honking from behind.”

The once-popular public bicycle sharing system, introduced in 2019 by the Ranchi Smart City Corporation Limited (RSCL) to promote green mobility and reduce vehicular emissions, is now on the verge of being phased out. In the initial years, the project saw good response, particularly among students, office-goers and fitness enthusiasts who embraced cycling as a convenient commuting option.

An official of RSCL, on the condition of anonymity, said that the initiative will be phased out due to heavy losses incurred by the corporation. “During the Covid-19 pandemic, many enthusiasts purchased their own cycles resulting in decline of popularity of the initiative. Maintaining the bicycles is also a costly affair,” the official added.

On the occasion of World Cycle Day on Wednesday, forest department will organise a cyclothon from its headquarters in Doranda to Oxygen Park in Morabadi to raise awareness about benefits of cycling and promote green mobility.

The cycling community, under the leadership of Poddar, will also organise a bicycle ride on Wednesday, covering around 40 km.