Chandigarh: Sector 17 to shore up bicycle sharing project

CHANDIGARH: With bicycle sharing project close to becoming a reality in the city, the municipal corporation has decided to allow the successful bidder of the project to use the basement of the city’s only underground multilevel parking in Sector 17 as a temporary workshop, and control and command centre.
According to an official, the space has been given on temporary basis for four to five months, so that the company can set up its repairing workshop and the command centre till they get a permanent site in Industrial Area, Phase I.
The basement area of the underground parking remains vacant and is mostly used for parking e-carts purchased a few months back under the project to rejuvenate Sector 17, a prominent commercial hub of the city.
A big chunk of land has already been identified in Industrial Area, Phase I, for setting up permanent workshop and control and command centre. The location is currently being used as the corporation’s storehouse and the process to vacate the place has started.
The company has already completed the ground survey of 64 docket locations and would now submit the related drawings and documents to the Chandigarh Smart City Ltd (CSCL), the official said.
“The company has committed to give 100 bicycles by September, so a temporary space has been provide for the workshop and command centre,” he revealed.
A team of the successful bidder — Smart Bike — is already in the city for inspection of the locations for setting up docket stations. Total 617 such locations have been approved by the urban planning department of the administration.