GURUGRAM: After reports and complaints of vehicles parking in the newly developed cycling track between the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) office and Subhash Chowk, the authority and the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram have decided to put barricades at entry and exit points along the routes and also deploy guards.
While a barricade has been placed at the entry point, solutions are being drawn for the remaining stretch, said GMDA chief VS Kundu, adding, “We have barricaded some of the entry points leaving enough space only for cyclists. We have decided on the rest of the stretch.” He added that they have also stationed home guards at these points to make sure that non-cyclists do not enter the cycling track. And even the traffic cops are monitoring situation along track.
The official added, “Our objective is to ensure that cyclists have a dedicated track where they do not have to worry about their safety while being on the road.”
The move comes after TOI reported that the city’s first dedicated cycling track was already seeing encroachment and unauthorised parking. However, when TOI visited the spot on Saturday, it saw barricades installed in some places but even then cars had encroached upon the tracks at multiple places.
The 10-km-long track is the city’s first dedicated cycling track. While the city has seen many cycling tracks being developed over the years, they have all eventually turned into parking space for autos, cars and local vendors. Hence, the launch of this cycle track was met with much apprehension over its maintenance in the long run. TOI had earlier reported that the cycle track had already started seeing cars and other vehicles parked within a week of its inauguration on October 2. Non-cyclists were driving on the track, which was against the idea of a dedicated cycle lane.
Over 700 km of cycle tracks are supposed to be laid in the city over the next twenty years till 2041 as per GMDA’s comprehensive mobility plan. And six more cycle tracks will be laid down over the next six months on six different stretches.
Kundu said that the mobility plan which is expected to be out in the next couple of weeks mentions that the city would need around 700-km of cycle tracks by 2041. This would largely cover the entire city making it possible for anyone to cycle across the city. “While that is the long-term plan, we have to accomplish it in phases,” he said.