FRONT PAGE | Monday, February 8, 2010 | Email | Print | 
Delhi Government plan to promote cycling set to flop
Seema Harkauli | New Delhi
Is cycling a good alternative means of transport in Delhi? The Delhi Government is keen to promote cycling in the city, going by its announcement of laying out cycle tracks on all arterial roads in the city. Dedicated cycle tracks along the BRT corridor in south Delhi have already been introduced. The DMRC has also started a cycle rental facility at some of its stations to provide last mile connectivity for Metro commuters.
While the Government’s move to encourage pedalling is laudable, cyclists agree that there are some inherent disadvantages of cycling in the city.
For shorter distances of up to three km, it may be a feasible option, but in a city as spatially spread out as Delhi, it is not the most practical or efficient means of transport over long distances.
Safety is also one of the biggest concerns for cyclists. “We simply don’t feel safe on our own roads. We lose over 2,000 lives in Delhi every year due to road accidents. Of these around 50 per cent are pedestrians and 7 to 8 per cent are cyclists,” said Nalin Sinha, convenor of Delhi Cycling Club and policy analyst on traffic and transport.
Encroachment of roads by hawkers, garbage and construction materials create obstacles for cyclists, who pedal on the outermost margins of the road for safety. The existing cycles’ lane on the BRT corridor in south Delhi is often encroached by other vehicles, making it unsafe for cyclists. Arjun — a young professional who cycles a distance of 10 km to office everyday — says that it is motorcyclists who encroach upon the cyclist lane on the BRT.
There is also scant road respect for cyclists and motorists rarely give way for slow moving traffic like cycles and rickshaws.
“It takes me about half-an-hour to cross some roads on my bicycle because the traffic doesn’t stop for us,” said Rakesh, an elderly dhobi who covers about 15 km everyday delivering clothes to two neighbourhoods.
There are also connotations of class and status attached to cyclists. Cycling is perceived as the poor man’s transportation alternative. Very few people use bicycles out of choice… for the majority it is a necessity as they cannot afford faster means of transport. Those accustomed to the convenience of a faster means of transport (like cars or motorcycles) are unlikely to switch to cycling.
According to Samsuddha Majumder, an avid biker, many cyclists need to be greeted by an open-minded society before they roll out their wheels. “People in Delhi are not used to the idea of cycling as an alternative means of transport, even for short distances. Some may want to start cycling but the perception of it being a poor man’s vehicle stops them.”
Sinha says that there is also a lack of adequate space to cycle comfortably and safely on the road. “The way things stand, the standard of cycle-friendly infrastructure is far from satisfactory. Only BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) corridor has a dedicated cycle track,” he said. “Other cycle lanes needed to be further developed,” he said, stressing the need for integrated cycle tracks in the city, as opposed to the “patch work” of cycle lanes that currently exist. “Once the Government develops cyclist-friendly infrastructure and facilities in the entire city, then we are likely to witness a huge shift from usage of motor vehicles to cycles for short-distance trips,” he added.
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