E-cycle gives motorists, pedestrians the blues in Delhi

NEW DELHI: If you are driving in central Delhi, you may encounter a blue, motorised bicycle in front of you. It is the Yulu scooter. It doesn’t have turn indicators so you have no idea which way it will go.
What is more, a police officer said Yulu riders regularly ride the small bike in the direction of the incoming traffic.

In some places, the bikes are left unattended on the roadsides. And often enough, children and adults alike double or triple ride on the bike against rules. All these are making the Yulu a tough proposition for traffic officers.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) had earlier tied up with Yulu to provide last mile connectivity for its passengers. While the idea of an environment friendly vehicle helping public transport users appeared admirable, the biking has become more of a fun activity for college-goers and schoolchildren.
SS Yadav, special commissioner of police (Traffic), said, “The biggest problem is the abandoning of Yulu bikes after use in places that are not intended for their usage, such as sidewalks, roundabouts or spaces in front of buildings. This obstructs the way of both pedestrians and motorists.” Yadav added that the dock, or the stand where the Yulu riders park the bikes, should be manned by attendants to ensure compliance with road regulations.
This year, traffic policemen have already seized 134 Yulus left on the roads in Lutyens’ and south Delhi. While Yulu bikes are available at several metro stations, they are noticeable around ITO, Delhi Gate, India Gate, C-Hexagon, Janpath, Mandi House, Chanakyapuri and Vasant Kunj.
Traffic officials remarked that the safety of pedestrians and road users in the New Delhi region has been compromised by the bikes, despite their being practical and pollution-free means of transportation. The officials said that in crowded areas like Connaught Place, India Gate, Rajpath and Khan Market, there are concerns about minors riding Yulu bikes, that too without helmets.
“Most riders of Yulu bikes utilise the e-two wheeler for recreation rather than to go from the metro stations to their ultimate destination,” said a traffic official. “The bike is slow with a top speed of 25 km per hour. It, therefore, slows down traffic movement considerably. Also, many people ride it haphazardly, creating a risk for themselves and other road users.”
Road safety experts and traffic officials are apprehensive that owing to the low height of the Yulu, accidents are likely when heavy vehicles, such as trucks and buses, are speeding down the road.
Dr S. Velmurugan, chief scientist, Central Road Research Institute, agreed that these bikes might have been introduced for the purpose of last mile connectivity, but were being grossly misused for joyrides and by e-commerce and food delivery executives. “What is more,” added Velmurugan, “two people, at times even three, can be seen riding the bike in violation of the rules. Such reckless people had made the Yulu a menace on the roads and should be booked for dangerous driving.
A Yulu executive responded, “Public and shared services always have the risk of being misused by a small section of users, which is the case here as well. We are actively taking preventive and punitive steps to minimise violations. We use technology to detect violations and have piloted our in-house technology to remotely detect wrong-side riding. Our marshals maintain a tight on-ground vigil to detect and prevent misuse and to take punitive actions if needed.”