BANGALORE: Population in Bangalore grew rapidly following the growth of IT and other associated industries. This also led to an increase in the vehicular population to about 1.5 million, with an annual growth rate of 7 to 10 per cent. As the number of two-wheelers and cars increased, cycles were limited only to school going children and a section of society including newspaper and flower vendors. However, civic agencies including Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL ) are now gearing up to provide dedicated space for bicycle movement and parking. Today the BBMP is initiating the project which is making bicycle friendly streets in Jayanagar. Chairman of the BBMP’s Standing Committee on Town Planning C K Ramamurthy said that it is a pilot project and major roads in Jayanagar will have cycle tracks of one-and-half meters width on either side. “We are laying 45 km of cycle track at an estimated cost of `2.5 crore,” he added. Ramamurthy stated that the work is expected to be completed by one month. “We will put signboards on the roads which have dedicated cycle tracks,” he explained. Jayanagar has many schools and colleges which will benefit students using bicycles.BMRCL is also planning to provide space to park cycles at all its six stations on the Reach 1 route between M G Road and Byappanahalli. N P Sharma, Chief Engineer (Designs and Underground), BMRCL, said that it is too early to give the exact picture. But there is a proposal to have parking space for bicycles. However, Sharma said that depending on availability of space, parking spaces will be provided.Meanwhile, BMTC Managing Director K R Sreenivas said, “We have ten Traffic and Transit Management Centres (TTMC) in Bangalore. We are considering to create bicycle stands in all the TTMCs. There will be our security guard who will take care of bicycles along with other two and four-wheelers. To begin with, TTMC of Shanthinagar will have such bicycle stand soon,” he added.Tracking Work Takes Back seat in BU campusRide a Cycle Foundation (RACF), which earlier planned to start bicycle operation in Bangalore University campus, has slowed the work due to non-availability of funds. Murli of RACF said that BSA company will give 150 bicycles for free of cost by December 15. “We need at least `30 lakh to start the operations in the university campus. This includes bicycle stations and automated system where bicycles are given to the users and also salaries for people who maintain these operation.”He said they have `5 lakh at present. “Two companies which had earlier supported us with funds have stepped out. We are looking to mobilise funds ourselves. With hikes in fuel prices in the last few months, we are hoping that people, especially students, will take benefit of this initiative,” he stated. He, however, said that BBMP has to lay dedicated tracks for bicycles inside the BU campus.
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