The Central government is set to release a set of guidelines to increase cycling infrastructure in the country. These guidelines include interventions like segregated lanes, shared streets and intersections. As part of the Smart City Mission of the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, the guidelines will be shared with cities across the country. The design guidelines will outline national standards and processes for creating cycle-friendly streets, which will include details about parking management, additional design elements such as cycle parking, signage and street lighting.
Out of the 107 registered cities in India, 54 have formed an official core team to work on cycling infrastructure. These cities have carried out perception surveys to understand public views on cycling. A staggering 95 percent of both men and women stated that they would use cycles if their cities had better infrastructure for this mode of transportation. The India Cycles4Change Challenge is open to all cities under the Smart Cities Mission, capital cities of states/Union Territories (UTs), and all cities with a population of over 500,000.
The challenge will be held in two stages. Stage 1 of the challenge requires cities to select at least one corridor to test segregated cycle lanes and a neighbourhood to make it safe for the use of this mode of conveyance. A minimum of 5 km of continuous corridor and a neighborhood area up to 5 sq km qualifies as a pilot intervention. Around 370 km of streets and 210 sq km have been identified for pilot corridors and neighborhood areas, respectively. At least 35 cities have initiated work to this effect, and progress is underway in creating and testing design solutions.
The new guidelines and challenges are expected to help cities increase cycling infrastructure and encourage more people to take up cycling as a mode of transportation. This will not only reduce congestion and pollution but also promote healthier lifestyles.
