Bicycle track likely to see light of the day

The Mysore City Corporation (MCC) that had almost shelved ‘Bicycle track’ project owing to no takers for its proposal last year, has decided to infuse new life into it. Thanks to the recently concluded meet organised by ‘Indian Heritage Cities Network- Foundation’, in the city.

Lohia, Joint Secretary to the Department of Union Urban Land Transport, in his address, has asked the MCC to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) on the project.

Following this, the civic body has begun preliminary study about the pros and cons of the intended facility.

An officer on condition of anonymity told Deccan Herald, the union government seems to be inclined on sponsoring the project.  The local body will be the implementing agency ensuring dedicated lane and parking lots, while an outsider (successful bidder) will be entrusted with the task of its ‘Operation and Maintenance’. If all goes well, the DPR would be ready in a month.

The roads in the city coming under MCC limits are close to 1,700 km. When compared to the density of population, half of them - at least five lakh own either a two-wheeler, four wheeler or three-wheeler.

The carbon monoxide that emits from cars, owned by good number of people, adds to the environmental pollution. Most importantly, the soot that settles on the heritage structures here, may slowly wreak havoc on their beauty. Taking all this into cognisance, the city of palaces that boasts of good old structures, may be prone to danger in an alarmingly higher level in the future. Apart from advocating public transport,  bicycle track will be ‘heritage friendly’.

Earlier, when the MCC had thought of it, under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP), it was committed only for providing basic amenity like- parking space. The service provider had a huge burden, from investing (100 bicycles and 25 battery operated bikes) to maintenance, besides operation. The revenue generated from advertisements put up at the lots, will be shared among the bidder and MCC.

But, the project could not become a reality, as tenders invited for the purpose didn’t attract any bidders, for reasons best known to the authorities concerned. In the project that is being reworked, there are possibilities of the bicycles being rented out, apart from other aspects.