KOLKATA: Members of BengalLovesCycle Forum — a conglomeration of cycle groups initiated by Bengal Clean Air Network — met deputy commissioner (traffic), Rupesh Kumar, on Thursday with an appeal against cycle ban in 62 roads of the city.
The cyclists said bicycle is the most environment-friendly, space-efficient and safest mode of transport in the current context of the pandemic. During the lockdown, the city saw a record sale of bicycles of all categories. People who commute on bicycles have reported betterment of health.
The DC traffic Rupesh Kumar, at the behest of the commissioner of police Anuj Sharma, who himself shares sympathy for cyclists and who earlier had supported the civic body’s nascent attempt for developing cycle infrastructure in the city, said that the city police will let them know about any further development in this regard.
The members of the forum demanded withdrawal of restrictions on bicycles in the city. A few lakh citizens, from newspaper vendors to professionals like doctors and engineers are using bicycles to commute now.
“We have made an appeal against fines taken from cyclists for riding on city roads, unless they break traffic rules,” said Vinay Jaju, one of the cycle-enthusiasts and co-founder of Switch ON.