MANGALURU: Kudla is all set to get 12km of cycle tracks on various routes. The Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) has already invited tenders to construct cycle tracks on three routes in the city under the India Cycles4Change Challenge of the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA).
As per the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) scheme of MoHUA, nine Smart Cities including Mangaluru in Karnataka have been identified for the scheme.
Meanwhile, MSCL has already invited tenders for two packages of works to develop cycle tracks at an estimated cost of Rs 2.3 crore and Rs 3.3 crore. Under the first package, 3.9km long cycling track will be created from Bolar to Mini Vidhana Soudha. Meanwhile another 7.4km cycle route will be constructed from the Town Hall to TMA Pai Hall, and from Marnamikatte to Sturrock Road.
The Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) council meeting held on December 31 has approved an agenda in this regard.
Mayor Diwakar, also one of the directors of the MSCL board of directors, told TOI that tenders to construct cycle routes have already been floated. “We have identified three cycling routes under two packages through MSCL. Tenders have been invited, but work cannot be taken up immediately since all the works under MSCL have been stopped based on the directions of the high court. Works will commence soon after we get a nod from the court,” he said.
Under the DULT scheme, at least 10km long cycle routes will be created in Belagavi, Bengaluru, Davanagere, Hubballi, Kalaburagi, Mysuru, Shivamogga and Tumakuru in addition to Mangaluru.
The MoHUA had launched the India Cycles4Change Challenge in June 2020. The challenge was open to all Indian cities with population above 5 lakh, capital cities of states/UTs and Smart Cities. The participating cities must undertake pilot projects, citizen surveys and take part in capacity building workshops related to the challenge.