Look before you pedal

As the New Year dawned, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief Ajoy Mehta unveiled the civic body’s aims for the city this year. Amongst the beautification and infrastructure changes, a 39-km-long cycling track alongside the Tansa pipeline was one.

Last year, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis approved this track, making it one of the largest infrastructure projects for non-motorised transportation. While the cycling track in Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) proved to be a failure, with this project, city cyclists may finally find some space for themselves in this otherwise bumper-to-bumper traffic.

While dedicated pathways for cyclists may seem like the stuff of dreams in the Maximum City, rough roads make it difficult to maintain cycling lanes. “Right from traffic discipline to ensuring the safety of cyclists, everything plays a big role. And in Mumbai, this seems an uphill task,” says Firoza Suresh, founder, Smart Commute Foundation, which works towards encouraging people to adopt cycling for daily commute.

Thirty-year-old Vinit Kothari has been commuting to work daily on his cycle for the last three years from Ghatkopar to Vikhroli. However, the mechanical engineer shakes his head in disapproval over the authorities’ attitude towards roads. “The infrastructure of our city doesn’t allow for a feasible cycling track,” he sighs adding, “The BKC plan didn’t work out because the track is made of paver blocks, which is ideal only for walking. It doesn’t help that roads are encroached by buses and taxis either,” he says. Vinit is of the view that authorities could demarcate the lanes for cyclists to keep heavy vehicles out. He advocates that such lanes will also make roads safe for dabbawalas.

Perhaps what doesn’t work in the cyclists’ favour either is that they are on the lower end of the road pyramid — respecting a pedestrian still is not a part of the city culture. “A motorist often overtakes a cyclist. According to them, cyclists are slow, and can bring the cycle to a halt if in case of an emergency.  But that is not the case. Even when we are at a speed, we are in motion,” explains Noel Fonseca, who cycles daily from Bandra to Malad (west).

Firoza Suresh

Firoza is of the opinion that a dedicated lane for cyclists could help improve connectivity across the city.

Of the various necessary measures authorities can take, Vinit thinks with the help of CCTV cameras they can tap out rash drivers. “Educating motorists and two-wheelers on sharing the roads with fellow cyclists can also be helpful. I don’t know how friendly the traffic cops are with cyclists. But it will be really nice if they start passing encouraging gestures like thumbs up. This will encourage a cyclist,” adds Noel.

Firoza, who organises the Sunday cycling from Marine Drive to Chowpatty, opines if the parking fares are hiked, many may take to cycling instead of opting for an automobile. “As the cycling community is growing in the city, civic bodies should announce at least once a month cycle to work day,” she concludes.