Cycle climate change away

HYDERABAD: A couple of decades ago, cycling was considered a means of commuting for people with lower earnings or a fun activity for kids. Slowly it became a way to stay fit and in shape. But little did we know that the humble vehicle would today become a need of the hour. Ahead of World Bicycle Day (June 3), cyclists share how the bicycle can be one of the biggest saviours amid drastic climate changes. 
Santhana Selvan, the Bicycle Mayor of Hyderabad, says people have to look beyond cycling just a way of making a statement. “It has, after a certain point, become a cool thing to do. I’ve noticed how many people buy high-end cycles, ride them in the wee hours to exercise, and dump them back in their garages. You see, that’s not the point of using a bicycle to go green,” he says. 

Cycling has emerged as the go-to fitness and wellness activity across age groups, and income spectrums post the lockdown, but to build a fit and sustainable future for generations to come, cycling is the way to go, says Jaymin Shah, managing director, Scott Sports India, Gachibowli. “As we see the metros and the tier 1 & 2 cities clogged with more and more automobiles and increasing pollution, it is becoming essential for people to realise with time and switch to cycling as a way to commute.

With busy roads, there is not enough space left for people to walk and cycle their way. If one is not willing to pedal to work, people can also ride on an electric bicycle and commute to their workplace. It will not just help them get fitter but also contribute towards building an eco-friendly system,” says he. He lauds the government’s efforts in taking initiative and encouraging people to cycle by proposing to build proper infrastructure for cyclists. “The future of smart and ecologically balanced societies lies with more people taking cycling as their way to commute and utilising the humble bicycle more than they have done in the past,” he adds. 

Santhana says that his long term goal is to see the next generation and generations after that ride to schools and work on their bicycles. He hopes to see that reach fruition 10 years from now and says that’s exactly what the cycling community in the city is trying to achieve through their Reset Hyderabad With Cycling 50*30 mission. He explains, “It means we hope that by 2030, at least 50 per cent of Hyderabad will use a bicycle as a regular means of transportation. And not just a cycle, but we’re focussing more on something called active mobility. As part of this, we are encouraging people to walk if the distance is less than 1 km, cycle if it’s less than 5 km and use public transport if it is beyond 5 km.” 

He adds that the community aims at normalising riding a bicycle, where people don’t have to look for fancier bikes or dress up differently to set out on their eco-friendly vehicles. “That’s the only way this practice will succeed,” he says. 

On a concluding note, he says that it’s high time people wait for the government to act upon an idea. “Let’s say the government does lay comprehensive lanes for cyclists tomorrow, are we all ready to make the most of it, I doubt that. So the best time to start working on that is now and the best person to start change is you,” he signs off.