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Bicycle-friendly Pune: PMC plans to integrate bicycle plan in its city development plan

The Pune Municipal Corporation is planning to include the 'Pune Cycle Plan' in its city development plan. The civic body aims to promote the use of bicycles in the city and hence, plans to seek the citizens' suggestions and objections on its draft plan.

TN City Desk

Updated Jul 28, 2022, 19:20 IST

Image Courtesy: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC)

Pune: In a bid to promote the use of bicycles in the city, the Pune Municipal Corporation has announced the integration of a detailed master plan for bicycles in its city development plan. The civic corporation has also decided to seek suggestions and objections from citizens on the draft plan.

The draft plan which is backed by the Union urban development ministry aims to make Pune bicycle-friendly by increasing the percentage of the population using cycles from 9 per cent to 25 per cent by the year 2031.

The 'Pune Cycle Plan' was prepared in 2016 and was approved by the civic general body in 2017. the plan was prepared with the help of consultants and data collection. Studies were conducted on traffic scenarios for cyclists and cycling tracks.

More than 10,000 people were surveyed in order to prepare the plan. The survey asked people questions about their travel patterns, their views on cycling, and whether or not they will be willing to shift to cycling after consulting cyclists at ward offices, cycle shops, schools, colleges, and corporate groups among others.

The proposed plan says that existing cycle tracks covering more than 90 km of the city can be made usable by connecting the missing links, improving the current designs, and strictly prohibiting other activities on the cycle tracks.

It further suggests separating cycle tracks on arterial roads. At the city's traffic junctions, the plan recommends identifying waiting spaces for cyclists and dedicating signals for them to cross the road. The plan also recommends the PMC promote cycle oriented educational campus.

The construction of on-street and off-street parking facilities, and linking cycling to public transport like buses, metro rail, and railway stations are some other suggestions made in the plan.

Moreover, the plan proposes prize money rewards for people cycling for the entire month, easy loans for cycles, and holding initiatives like 'Cycle Day' or 'Cycle week'.

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