Written by Ramita Dogra & Sakshi Just over a year-old public bike-sharing system launched with much fanfare in Chandigarh is in need of urgent repair. With the fuel prices going through the roof, more and more people are gravitating to the bike stands — around 1,200 people use this system every day - only to be greeted with defective bikes, and an app that works in fits and starts. The project was launched on December 10, 2020, with an aim to provide 5,000 bicycles to residents at a nominal fee of Rs 5 for half an hour for members and Rs 10 for non-members. The Indian Express team went cycling across the city and found out the glitches that are threatening to throw this system off track. Subscription not available Though the Smart Bike app promises an annual subscription, it doesn’t allow you to subscribe. Try as much as you want, but the app does not allow you to buy this subscription which guarantees half rate of Rs 5 for half an hour. Bikes in a poor condition There are several issues with the condition of the bikes. QR codes of some bikes in Sector 27-C (PBS Station, HDFC Bank) had been torn, making it difficult for users to scan the code. In one case, even after scanning the code, the bike did not unlock, and the money was deducted. This was true of the yellow bikes in the station near the Sector 42 lake. The red bikes, which are battery-operated, are often out of charge. The team picked up a bike from Sector 44, and pedalled up to Sector 19 but the bike did not charge. Bike seats in Sector 28 D (PBS Station, Ram Leela Park, Sector 28D) were in a poor condition, making it difficult for the rider. “The condition of the bikes is surely an issue to ponder over. I have seen electric bikes (red ones) that need to be operated manually. In some bikes, tyres are mis-aligned, gears are broken or the brakes don’t work properly. The yellow bikes have rubber tyres that wear off quickly. This causes enormous discomfort,” said Kamleshwar Singh, a regular user of smart bikes. Poorly maintained docking stations As many as 600+ docking stations are there in the UT many of which are untended. The Express found that some stands at these stations are obstructed by stones and vehicles as in Sector 28D (PBS Station, Pal Dhaba/ Sector 28D and Kotak Mahindra Bank, Sector 7C). There are trees growing between two bike stands which make it difficult for the rider to park. No grievance redressal system The worst is that the residents don’t have any grievance redressal system. The number given on the app is seldom attended and the executive is unable to resolve the problem of the app deducting money without unlocking the bike. N P Sharma, general manager, Smart City, asked the Express team to call 0172278200 for any grievances but it turned out to be invalid. GM blames it on vandals, gives an invalid helpline N P Sharma, general manager, Smart City, who is in charge of this operation, when asked about the problems at the docking stations, claimed, “We have a system for regular maintenance of these bikes. We have deployed cars to repair and replace the defective bikes.’’ Sharma blamed vandalism by people for the poor condition of the bikes. “They don’t consider these their own and mishandle them.’’ When asked about the app deducting money and not refunding it, he said, “Since it’s an app, technical glitches are bound to happen. I’ll inform the company about this issue and try to find a solution.” Sharma said the users should call 0172278200 to get their issues resolved but the number turned out to be invalid.
