Chandigarh: More than 200 km of dedicated cycle tracks, a heaven for cyclists! That’s how the Chandigarh administration pitch goes about the web of cycle tracks across the city. But travelling on these tracks tells a different story, and the ground reality is far from perfect.
Several sections of the tracks are in bad shape, broken like never repaired after being laid.The design of the tracks in many instances leads cyclists abruptly into heavy traffic.
Nitish Singla, a regular on the cycle tracks, says, “The condition of the tracks has worsened over the years. At some places even bollards have been put on the cycle tracks. Cyclists have to stop, pick up their cycles over these bollards and then move ahead. At many places, there are trees right in the middle of the tracks, and at other places, there are manholes.”
Over the years, encroachments have come up on the tracks. Some of these are temporary, like a vendor setting up a shop. Some permanent encroachments can also be seen. “Another type of encroachment is unrestricted parking of cars. This is especially the case near markets. One can see cars parked on the cycle tracks. But neither the police nor anybody from municipality or administration care to remove these. At some places, tracks have become de facto parking areas,” said Akhil Bansal, a social activist, who transverses the city on a cycle. At many places, cycle tracks are broken. The situation is particularly bad in the southern sectors and near the peripheral areas.
RITES in its comprehensive mobility plan (CMP) has recommended provision for safer and better sections of road or cycle track is the best way to keep cycles on roads. It has recommended creating extensive network for non-motorised traffic so that people can opt for options like cycles. It noted that issues like poor design, ineffective maintenance, encroachments and poor connectivity between different stretches of the cycle tracks continue to plague the movement of cyclists on these tracks. Even the UT engineering department in its internal surveys had found around 58 km of cycle tracks in bad shape. Though, officials say, repair works were taken up but then for the cyclists in many areas remain poor.