An audit by civil society organisation Parisar shows that Pune’s cycling network, once envisioned as a safe and connected system, now remains fragmented, dangerous, and heavily encroached, with only 90 per cent of them in less-than-good condition.
According to the Cycle Track Audit Report 2025 released by non-government organisation Parisar, only 11 per cent of Pune’s cycle tracks are rated ‘good’, 61 per cent ‘poor’, and 28 per cent ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’.
Although the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)’s records lover 83 km of cycle tracks, Parisar found that only around 35 km could be used for a meaningful audit. Many stretches that exist only on paper were faded, broken, or so encroached that assessing them would have been futile, according to the organisation.
“A cycle track is not truly usable unless it performs well in all three parameters: safety, comfort, and continuity. Even one weak link breaks the user experience. While one parameter was seen doing relatively better on some roads, others were weak, and that influences whether people choose to cycle,” Tanzeel Allapur, Project Associate, Parisar, said Wednesday.
Pune needs a “citywide, continuous networ,k not isolated stretches”, said Allapur.
“Areas like Kharadi with a large IT workforce show the potential to have functional cycle tracks, residents typically travel short 2 to 3 km distances to workplaces, ideal for cycling, and even a small shift could reduce traffic congestion at bottlenecks like Mundhwa bridge,” she added.
Safety, comfort, and continuity
According to the audit, safety emerged as one of the most compromised aspects, with 55 per cent of tracks scoring ‘poor’ or ‘bad’. The report documents missing segregation, inadequate lighting, absence of buffer zones, non-existent ramps, and dangerous junctions that push cyclists into fast-moving traffic. Only a few stretches, such as Baner Road and Deccan College Road, managed to score ‘good’ on safety.
Continuity, with 39 per cent of roads in the ‘okay’ category, was another major concern, as tracks frequently ended abruptly or were blocked by poles, debris, or unplanned curbs. Some routes recorded over 10 obstructions per 500 metres, making uninterrupted cycling impossible. Bibvewadi Road alone had 420 metres of missing track, while others showed long gaps where the infrastructure simply vanished. Junctions remained key failure points, with incomplete ramps and sudden level differences adding to the danger.
Comfort too scored poorly across the city, with only 16 per cent of roads in the ‘good’ range. Many tracks were laid with broken tiles, uneven surfaces, worn-out asphalt, or strewn with garbage. Roads like Spicer College Road, Sinhagad Road, and Sangamwadi Road displayed cracked patches, frequent friction points, and multiple spots where cyclists were forced to slow down or dismount.
Encroachment emerged as the most widespread and persistent issue, according to the audit. Hawkers, parked two-wheelers, garbage bins, auto garages, eateries, and construction debris regularly occupied cycle lanes. On Bibvewadi Road, one stretch recorded 19 vehicle encroachments, including 11 from auto garages alone.
What does PMC say
PMC officials said that while the corporation has invested in building cycle tracks, maintaining them requires cooperation from enforcement agencies and citizens.
“Tracks alone won’t promote cycling; greater cycling will demand more tracks, and that will happen by raising awareness and bringing schemes through PPP models,” said Nikhil Mijar, Transport Planner and Urban Designer, Road Department, PMC.
Mijar added that while traffic management lies with the traffic police, hawker and encroachment control is to be handled by ward offices.
PMC also noted that cycle tracks can only be built where road width allows, noting that of the 100 km planned, 83 km are complete, and another 15 to 20 km are under construction.
“Realistically, only 125 to 150 km of the Pune Cycle Plan’s proposed 800 km can accommodate cycle tracks,” Mijar said.
According to the Cycle Track Audit Report 2025 released by non-government organisation Parisar, only 11 per cent of Pune’s cycle tracks are rated ‘good’, 61 per cent ‘poor’, and 28 per cent ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’.
(Express Photo) 
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