Centre’s nod to HindAyan cycle race and expedition

The Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has given the green flag to HindAyan, India’s first multi-stage cycle race. The race will be held in Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra between February 10-18, 2024.

At present, India does not have a multi-stage cycling race hence adventure cyclists from the armed forces and state police departments, visit America, Britain and France to participate in the races.

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Secretary Meeta Rajivlochan urged the Chief Secretaries of Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra to provide all the possible civic, traffic arrangements and police protection to HindAyan which is creating a platform for local cyclists to compete.

HindAyan, a multi-stage cycling race and expedition will commence from Delhi next February and will end in Pune. It will travel via Agra, Jaipur, Gandhinagar, Thane and Mumbai.

The first edition of HindAyan which took place from Delhi to Pune last February was successful as the Ministry of Defence, local civic bodies and state police of five states - Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Maharashtra helped generously.

Vishnudas Chapke, circumnavigator and organiser of HindAyan said, "Last year HindAyan had two special and rare honours. One, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) permitted HindAyan to ride the cycles on the iconic Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Mumbai. Two, the Yamuna Expressway, which is otherwise banned for anything below four-wheelers, the only exception was IAF´s fighter jet had touched down, once. The Uttar Pradesh State Government gave special permission to HindAyan for a cycle expedition.”

This year, hopefully, we will have the same honour as we have requested permission from the Maharashtra Government and the Uttar Pradesh Government for the same. “We are waiting for the permission,” he added.