Well-intended, but poorly designed cycle path in Pune drives even cyclists away

PUNE: In its eagerness to keep “rogue” motorcyclists out of the exclusive 3km cycle track on the University Road, the Pune Municipal Corporation has made an error of design judgement that is now turning away the intended beneficiaries — the cyclists.

The PMC has erected bollards at periodic intervals across the newly laid cycle track — between Bremen Chowk and University Circle — and footpath.

Though a PMC official said cycles can easily pass between the bollards, when this reporter tried to just that, he found it nearly impossible — at least not without smashing his ankles. While the broader cycle frames can clearly not pass between the bollards, even the thinner sports cycles have barely an inch to spare. Also, since the bollards are placed at a dozen locations, it means cyclists cannot have an uninterrupted ride for more than a few hundred metres at a time.




Any information about the wisdom behind the design too has been difficult to access. “The concrete bollards are fixed on the cycle track to prevent entry of motorcyclist on the cycle track,” the civic body said in response to an RTI query after repeated follow-ups. The first time, the PMC had claimed that the questions were “problematic,” and denied information.

The cycle track on the Bremen Chowk side begins near the first existing bus-stand and runs smoothly for a good 500-600 metres. Then suddenly, it meets the first obstruction. The hurdles keep popping up thereafter. At places, the cycle track goes “missing” into the footpath and the structure gets narrower — in contravention of PMC’s own study titled Urban Cycling Design Guidelines.

“Coherent cycling infrastructure provides continuity along the whole section of the road without disturbance caused by trees, lamp-posts, bus-stops or other obstacles,” the study notes as it observes cycling infrastructure in “cycle-friendly countries” like the Netherlands. Yet, on the ground, each of these guidelines stands violated.

Most of the bollards have come up at places that are entry/exit gates of university buildings, government officials’ homes and Raj Bhawan on the other side. PMC superintendent engineer Narendra Salunkhe said this was done by the roadworks department and he was working with them to fix the problem.

BRTS shelters in limbo

Two abandoned iron structures greet motorists outside Raj Bhavan and Armament Colony Gate. These are the sites of proposed BRTS shelters which have run into trouble. “It is a construction of the BRT bus shelter. Due to the objection raised by traffic police and some volunteers, the work is held up,” the RTI reply read. An official said the debris will be removed after receiving the department’s nod.