Pune: Bicycle routes are now planned on five narrow pathways by PMC

Pune, January 29, 2021: While there is no possibility of constructing lanes for cycling on Swargate-Khadakwasla route, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has passed the tender of Rs 1.45 crores for the process development of cycling lanes.

The lanes will be developed on the narrow roads in the suburbs including Shastri Road, Shankarshet Road. Given the insufficient space on this road, it is almost impossible to develop a cycle path.

In the next few days, work will be done to develop a cycling path from Vandevi Mandir to Wanjale Chowk, Paud Phata to Chandni Chowk, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road to Dandekar Bridge to Mahalakshmi Mandir, and Shankar Sheth Road at Karvenagar. The municipal corporation’s decision to develop the cycling path is likely to be controversial, even though the city’s rental cycle scheme has been rolled out.

To control the rising pollution, the corporation has decided to encourage the use of bicycles. Under this, the Municipal Corporation has prepared a cycle integrated development plan. In addition, the rental cycle scheme implemented jointly by Smart City and the Municipal Corporation has also been rolled out. However, the Municipal Corporation has adopted a policy of developing new cycle routes in the city as there is a provision in the budget for the development of cycle routes.

The fact is that there is not enough space to develop a cycle path at Dandekar Bridge, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road, Dandekar Bridge, Lal Bahadur Shastri Road since these areas barely have sufficient places for traffic. It is questionable how the cycle path will develop in this situation. The city’s bicycle lanes are in poor condition. People rarely ever notice the presence of cycling paths. There is no continuity in many cycle routes and most of the cycle routes have different types of encroachments. In the last four years, Municipal Corporation has been able to develop 24 km long cycle routes on Satara Road, Jangli Maharaj Road, Ferguson Road, Karvenagar Road. It has also been reported from time to time that bicycle lanes in Kothrud are not being used. Even after that, the Municipal Corporation has started construction of the cycle path.

Municipal Corporation has two months to complete its current financial year. Currently, the income of the corporation is increasing. Proposals for the development of cycle paths, concreting, repair of sewers, development of sidewalks have started coming in large numbers. The order of the Municipal Commissioner to fix the priority of works due to corona as many works were stopped and to not do any unnecessary work is not seen implemented.