MMRDA mulls dedicated bicycle paths near metro stations

City planning authority MMRDA is looking to create dedicated bicycle paths and stands near metro stations being developed in the megapolis.

Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's (MMRDA) newly appointed Commissioner RA Rajeev has undertaken an innovative initiative to promote 'bicycle movement' on the lines of the one that started in 1974 in Bogota in Colombia.

"I am considering pushing the bicycle movement. One cannot turn a blind eye to the way world is responding to the environment call," he said in a statement issued by MMRDA here today.

Rajeev further said he is considering creating bicycle stands at metro stations, a few dedicated cycle paths that will enable people to cycle to stations and back home. "Bike-share system can also be considered if Mumbaikars embrace the concept. The system will provide bike-stations around metro stations with parking facility," he said.

Citing a few examples of the bicycle movement adopted in other countries Rajeev said, 60 per cent of Finland and 57 per cent of Japan's population use bicycle. While it is 48 per cent each in Belgium and Switzerland, nearly 37.2 per cent of China's population uses bicycles.

"There's a bicycle movement in Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, United States of America. The movement which began in 1974 in Bogota, became a Colombian tradition and is now spreading around the world," Rajeev added.

He further said if the initiative gets good response, MMRDA may consider introducing a 'self-driven-cycle-cab' wherein one can take a cycle from a bike-station and reach another one to cross the distance.

It may be recalled almost over seven years back MMRDA had spent almost Rs 6.5 crore to develop a dedicated cycling track in BKC, which eventually proved a major failure as the passage was used for parking of vehicles.