Chandigarh is all set to start the much-awaited and the much-delayed public bike-sharing project next month. Officials of the Chandigarh Smart City Limited said that 100 cycles will be run initially in the Cycle 4change challenge programme. The members will need to pay Rs 5 per hour while non-members will have to pay Rs 10 per hour.
Chandigarh is all set to start the much-awaited and the much-delayed public bike-sharing project next month. Officials of the Chandigarh Smart City Limited said that 100 cycles will be run initially in the Cycle 4change challenge programme. “This number will be increased to 200 by December 15,” the official said. He stated that the main project work will go on simultaneously that will be completed by December 2021.
The project has got delayed for years. This year, the COVID pandemic further led to the delay. All these bikes will be stationed at Sukhna Lake, Leisure Valley, sectors 15, 16, 17, 34, 35, PGI, Rock Garden, and Sector 43 ISBT.
The public bike-sharing project, which has been pending for over three years now, involves borrowing a bicycle from any docking station across the city and returning it at any of the docking stations after the ride.
The Smart City Limited had planned to introduce as many as 617 cycle dock stations in bus areas that have proximity to markets, bus stops, tourist places, open spaces, parking areas, institutional and commercial spaces, and parks.
Each station will have 10 cycles for renting and it will also have additional parking space for dropping off cycles. Both members and non-members will be able to rent a cycle at hourly rates.
The members will need to pay Rs 5 per hour while non-members will have to pay Rs 10 per hour. An annual subscription will also be available for Rs 200, sources said. The detailed plan will be announced following the project’s execution. A smartcard-based recharge system, which one will be able to recharge online, is also likely to be available.
At the dock station, the cycles will be unlocked and released for use through an app. In order to avoid theft or any other incident, the cycles will be equipped with GPS trackers.
