In green push, bicycles emerge as new mode of transport in Srinagar

According to a study by TERI, if bicycles replaced motorised vehicles for short distance trips, it can result in an annual benefit of Rs 1.8 trillion through energy savings (oil equivalent) and CO2 emission reduction.

To curb pollution from vehicular sources, commuters in Srinagar are choosing green transport by availing the bicycle service introduced by the government earlier this year.

The bicycle service will not only go a long way in mitigating air pollution in the city, but also provide comfortable and safe transport to the people. In March 2022, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution to include bicycling as an integral part of the public transport system to foster sustainable development.

On May 4, the Jammu and Kashmir administration as a part of the Smart City Project, introduced Chartered Bikes - bicycles, in Srinagar as a mode of transport to reduce pollution and overcome traffic snarls.

Since then, more than 39,000 commuters have registered for bicycle service within the city. For the project, the city government collaborated with a Bhopal based startup, and in November last year, a test run for this facility was conducted.

A user has to register and activate his lifetime subscription by depositing Rs 300 to utilise the service. The ride is free for the first 30-minutes and thereafter will cost Rs 5 up to an hour. For a two to three hour journey, it costs Rs 25. However, riding bicycles in extreme winter may take a toll on physical health as well.

According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), around 50 per cent of households in India own a bicycle, and even though only 13.8 per cent of people in urban areas use cars for commuting, most of the infrastructural investments are directed towards car transport.

According to a study by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), if bicycles replaced motorised vehicles for short distance trips, it can result in an annual benefit of Rs 1.8 trillion through energy savings (oil equivalent) and CO2 emission reduction.

At the state level, Bihar and West Bengal have initiated programmes for providing schoolgirls with bicycles, which have been hailed as successful in terms of reducing the gender gap in secondary school.