Delhi looks afresh at its traffic cycle

New Delhi: The state government is making amends and developing an integrated network of cycle tracks to promote cycling as a mode of transport in the capital.

The health and climate benefits of cycling are only too well known but the absence of dedicated tracks had seriously limited its scope as a means of everyday commuting in the city.

Experts who are pursuing the plans citing examples of cities around the world feel that cycling in Delhi is still seen as an option for those who cannot afford other means of transport.

"High profile people generally buy one for servants to pick up grocery and vegetables from the market," one official remarked.

"But, there will definitely be a change in the mindset once dedicated bicycle tracks are introduced" he added.

Ahead of the Commonwealth Games though, the government is seriously looking at popularising cycling even among the affluent. It will not only help reduce congestion on the roads but will also take care of air pollution.

To start with, it is incorporating cycle tracks in two major projects, including the 16-kilometre High Capacity Bus Corridor between Ambedkar Nagar and Delhi Gate and a grade separator at Mukarba crossing on National Highway-1.

Initially, cycle tracks will be introduced on roads in seven industrial areas and linked with colonies to ensure safety of industrial workers, the end users, who cycle to work.

The areas include Okhla Industrial Area, Wazirpur Industrial Area, Naraina Industrial Area, Mongolpuri Industrial Area, Badli Industrial Area and Jhilmil Colony Industrial Area. Later, the concept will be extended to other major areas in phases. Along the high-capacity bus corridor, a bicycle lane and a footpath have been factored in beside the three lanes for private motorised vehicles alongside the bus lanes.

The signals for bicycles at the crossings will also need re-working. This will be done using special software, so that the stoppage time does not exceed 120-140 seconds. Separate signals will be used for the bus lanes.

A cyclist's life is always at risk when he negotiates his way through a maze of impatient motorists and buses.

Cycle tracks exist in a few areas, but where they do, encroachments abound for want of enough enthusiasts.

Says Ram Kishan, who has been cycling from his Preet Vihar residence in East Delhi via ITO bridge to reach Sarai Kale Khan daily for four years now, "These tracks are limited to just a small stretch. Moreover, during office hours, most two-wheeler riders switch to this lane, making it unsafe for us," says Kishan.

Traffic experts estimate there are more than 1.5 million cyclists in the city. Thousands of them set out on their bicycles to earn their daily bread. They start early to reach their workplace in time. But, unfortunately, heavy vehicles like trucks and buses account for death of injury to a cyclist on a daily basis.

Says Dr Geetam Tiwari of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi's Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme, "Unless we have dedicated bicycle tracks, the issue will not be resolved. A small investment in a narrow cycle lane increases the road capacity by 50 per cent."

"Vehicles contribute to about 75 per cent of air pollution in the city. Cycles, on the contrary, neither generate noise nor any toxic emissions. The tracks will help the city in several ways," Tiwari adds. Even traffic police officials feel that bicycle tracks are necessary if congestion on roads is to be reduced.

"Fast and slow-moving traffic plying on the same road is a big factor contributing to accidents," an officer remarked.

In view of rising transport costs, more and more people are ready to hit the road and pedal away. With the Metro being developed as a mode of mass transport, experts feel that it augurs well for bicycles to chip in as a link between stations and homes for everyday commuters.