‘Cycling should not be limited to weekly rides and cyclothons only’

While the Chandigarh Administration announced bicycle sharing scheme and also issued tenders for the scheme apart from painting the cycle tracks along the roundabouts, lack of lighting on the cycle tracks poses a serious threat to riders’ safety. Three years ago, Gurjinder Mogi, a PHD student of law department at Panjab University, came up with the idea of starting Panjab University Bicycle Lovers, a group of cyclists aimed at encouraging daily use of cycling.

“I felt pained to see that green areas on PU campus were being turned into parking lots. As students, we commute daily to various departments on the campus. PU is like a small city in itself. Why do we need cars and bikes for commuting within the university? We started this group of bicycle riders with 10 students. Now we have more than 700 students who commute daily to their classes and back on their bicycles. One does not need fancy cycles to commute and even a basic cycle is good to ride. One only needs the will to cycle and if we can do that, we can also change the perception of general public, who see cyclists as a hindrance on roads. All offices should reserve one or two days for cycling,” Mogi said.

Gurjasjit Singh, a member of Chandigarh Cycling Club, too, has been an active cyclist in the city. Singh organised a ride from Chandigarh to Delhi called smog-free ride in January this year and also approached the Chandigarh Traffic Police to conduct an awareness drive. “There are things like low electricity wires hanging on the cycle tracks. There should be levelling of vegetation near the tracks and retro reflective markings. I had written a letter to Chandigarh Administration in June 2017, making some suggestions. Later this month, more than 35 cyclists will talk with people about improving their attitude towards cyclists over the course of two hours with traffic police’s honk-free campaign,” Singh said. Dr Rakesh Mohindra, a member of Chandigarh Amateur Cycling Association, said, “When people are given licences for driving, they should be asked questions about cyclists as well. This way they can be sensitised about it.”

Rahul Bedi, a writer and an avid bicycle rider, said, “I regularly go for my bicycle rides in Chandigarh and in New Delhi. But when I compare both the cities, I find Chandigarh far ahead in terms of infrastructure for bicycle riders. Chandigarh, I believe, is among the most bicycle-friendly cities in the country. I feel that there should be more bicycle tracks across the city so that more and more people can enjoy bike rides and even commute to their workplaces.”