Pedalling for greener Bengaluru

BENGALURU: While many of us prefer to get extra sleep on Sundays, some are utilising their weekends to stay fit and promote a greener Bengaluru. As a part of Bengaluru Coalition for Open Streets (BCOS)’s Cycle Day initiative, residents of Jayanagar conducted a cycle rally and fun games at Sree Saraswathi Vidya Mandira school near PM Swimming Centre. From four-year-old children to traffic police personnel, senior citizens, cyclists and nature enthusiasts, people from different walks of life participated in the event.
Cycle Day was inaugurated by Jayanagar MLA Soumya Reddy, who said, “We need to work for sustainable mobility. By adopting a lifestyle where we use public transport system or cycling, we can reduce carbon footprints. We want to promote cycling and showed our children to follow the exercise for a cleaner city.”

The 3-km cycle rally had multiple laps. The event was supported by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and other government and non-government bodies. “Today, our event schedules changed due to rain. But it did not stop our residents to join this event. Around 250 people participated in it,” said Santosh K Bhat, resident of LIC Colony, Jayanagar East and programme coordinator. Directorate of Urban Land Transport, Government of Karnataka, distributed 50 free rental bikes for cyclists. 

Retired, but not from enjoying life
For many cyclists in the city, the face of Janardan B R is a familiar one. The 87-year-old former Railway employee, who started cycling when he was 64, is a regular participant in many rallies and cyclothons, not just in India but abroad as well. Janardan is a strong follower of environment conservation and prefers to pedal his Raleigh Tarantula to travel across the city. “When my relatives and friends say they are coming to visit me, I tell them I would come to their house by cycling. It will reduce carbon emission and of course, I will get some time to spend on my fitness,” he laughed. When he retired, Janardan never wanted to sit back and relax. He took up cycling as a hobby and now, it is a part of his life. “I also love enjoying nature trails and participating in stair-racing competitions. I have climbed a 64-floor-building in Dubai at a competition. I follow a simple diet and ride for at least 10 km every day,” he said.