Go smart, pedal for a greener and fitter tomorrow

Bicycles on rent: LMC and district administration to set up cycling docks across Lucknow to provide ‘smart cycles’ at Re 1 for 30 mins.

lucknow Updated: Apr 05, 2018 14:54 IST

LMC officials said the bicycle scheme is aimed at moving towards a cleaner, greener and healthier tomorrow and strengthen the local transport system.(Pankaj Jaiswal/HT Photo)

The bygone era when cycles used to be easily available on rent seems to be back, but this time with a tech update.

LOG ON AND RIDE
Users will receive a QR code once they have logged in on the website and will pay Re 1 for 30 minutes of usage.
The cycles would first be introduced in Gomti Nagar and later in other parts of the city, including old Lucknow that is in dire need of traffic de-congestion.
The LMC is also in touch with Bangalore-based company—Zoomcar that introduced PEDL – a cycle sharing service.

As part of the smart city project, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) and the district administration are going to set up cycling docks across the city to provide cycles on rent. Unlike the traditional bicycles, the cycles at these docks would be ‘smart’ and Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled. And the rent would be as low as Re 1 for half an hour.

The project will be launched in association with Zoomcar’s PEDL initiative to focus on non-motorised modes of transport. PEDL is a smart, affordable and environment-friendly cycle sharing service for short trips around the city.

LMC officials said the bicycle scheme is aimed at moving towards a cleaner, greener and healthier tomorrow and strengthen the local transport system.

“The smart cycle rental service is part of phase 1 of the smart city project. It will not only make available a new and cheap mode of transport to citizens, but will also keep them healthy,” said PK Srivastava, additional municipal commissioner.

As per the blueprint, the cycles would first be introduced in Gomti Nagar and later in other parts of the city, including the old Lucknow that is in dire need of traffic de-congestion.

Officials said the cycles would be made available at the dock station in Gomti Nagar, from where people can hire them as per their convenience. The LMC is also in touch with Bangalore-based company—Zoomcar that was among the first few to introduce the concept of giving self-driven cars on rent. Now it has started a new venture, wherein it has re-introduced the ‘cycles on rent’ concept.

SERVICE A HIT IN AGRA 
In UP, Agra was perhaps the first city to get the cycle on rent service. The service is available near Taj Mahal from where the bikes can be hired for desired duration. Officials with the administration said the service is a hit as it is the most preferred choice of tourists.
“Cycles come at cheap fares when compared to taxis and other modes of transport. Hence it is the most preferred choice. Another reason that added to its popularity is that it also gives the tourists a chance to explore the area on their own,” said the official.

“So far, it has introduced its services in around 12 cities including Haryana, Delhi, Jaipur, Udaipur, Agra, Varanasi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai,” an official said, adding that the cycles would be different than the regular ones.

SPECIFICATIONS

Smart cycles, as the name suggests, would be different from the traditional ones. These would be unisex bicycles that can be pedalled easily by people of all age groups. The cycles come in one colour scheme – green and black. Interestingly, the bikes are tamper proof and hence no parts can be taken off. As the cycles are GPS enabled, there will be a complete track of the cycle and the cyclists as well. The bicycles are also equipped with unique puncture-proof tyres that further reduce any chances of breakdown. And for security purposes, the cycle is equipped with a GPS-enabled lock system that can be locked or unlocked from a distance.

HOW TO HIRE A BICYCLE?

Once the dock station is established (expected in a couple of months), these bikes can be hired either by logging on to www.pedl.in or through zoomcar mobile application that can be downloaded from Google Playstore. Once logged in, the mobile application would prompt a screen to scan the barcode printed either on the lock of the bicycle or on the mudguard. Once scanned, the lock would open automatically and cycle would be ready for use.

PAYMENT

Just like the cycle, the mode of payment too is smart. As the dock station won’t have any staff/guards or any cash counters, the payment will be made either through the paytm account or through credit/debit card or through a mobile wallet.

Interestingly, the user can end the trip anywhere. It is not important to end the trip at the point from where it started. Once the trip is ended, the user’s mobile screen would prompt the total amount payable. The cost of the trip is Re 1 for half an hour.