DULT wants to reboot ‘Cycle Day’, promote sustainable transport

The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) is rebooting ‘Cycle Day’, urging residents welfare associations, community leaders, and people’s representatives to promote cycling as a sustainable transport among communities.

By promoting this day, DULT wants to create sustainable neighbourhoods in which 80% of the local trips happen by walk or on cycles and 60% of trips outside of the area happens either by walk, on cycles or by public or shared modes of transports.

Registered RWAs and civil society organisations can apply for a Rs 50 lakh fund to pilot tactical intervention in their areas. The DULT will use this initiative to support community bicycle-sharing projects, cycling clinics, and other tactical intervention such as installing cycle stands, setting up pop-up cycling lanes, and improving public spaces.

A Sustainable Mobility Accord Task Force has been created under the chairmanship of the DULT commissioner, bringing together civic organisations and RWAs interested in sustainable transport.

The task force will evaluate application forms from organisations based on their work and select 10 of them who will receive the fund. Successful applicants will also get technical assistance from DULT and other partners in implementing the tactical intervention in their areas.

The task force includes the Bengaluru Coalition for Open Streets, Praja RAAG, Bicycle Mayor of Bengaluru, HSR Cyclists, and a representative of WRI India.

It will add more organisations in the coming days by encouraging RWAs and civil society organisations’ officials to empower communities, set specific goals, and action plans to transform themselves.