Can Chennai become cyclist-friendly?

The 3.8km cycle track in KK Nagar, which was thrown open to the public earlier this year, has 5-8 bicycle users accessing it during peak hours. Beyond that, the track is used by motorcyclists to evade the traffic on the road or it turns into an impromptu parking spot for vehicles, especially near the KK Nagar Police Station, or a space for street vendors to peddle their fares, encroaching upon the track.

Summing up the situation, Murugan, an auto driver from the locality, said, “I see only a few cyclists using this track.”

Keeping in line with the NMT policy to provide better facilities for cyclists, the city Corporation is planning to develop a 17-km dedicated cycle track, under the Smart City project at a cost of Rs 36 lakh.

The stretch will include Sivananda Salai, roads around the Island Grounds, Kamarajar Salai and parts of Adyar and Besant Nagar. A senior Corporation official said, “As a part of the NMT policy, we are creating safe cycling routes across the city. The idea, at least on paper, is to cycle from Parry’s through the Kamarajar Salai near Marina Beach, all the way to Neelankarai.

Plans are afoot for this, so that work could start when funds are available. The track will include safety features such as reflective bollards and signage. Considering the climatic conditions, we are planning to plant trees wherever possible, to ensure shade for the cyclists.” The official also said that the civic body will target areas such as Kamarajar Salai, which is wide enough for a cycle track and which region has a lane marking already, and banks of Adyar and Cooum, which can be easily executed.

Reacting to the low usage of the KK Nagar cycle track, the official added, “We need the residents to take more initiative to popularise cycling in the neighbourhood and the Corporation can support them in these endeavours.

For example, if a local school started promoting cycling in the neighbourhoods through events like car-free days, this can ensure that more people are cycling and using the track. Planning outreach activities is also important.”

Urban designer Tahaer Zoyab said that the cycling community is increasing. “But we also need to celebrate the cycle tracks at a neighbourhood level and get the residents involved.

The number of children cycling to school has not changed. The civil society should raise their voice to ensure a safe commute on this route,” said the principal designer at Triple O Studios.

Across the globe, commuting by cycle has become a trend, with infrastructure to boost. For instance, in Copenhagen, bikes outnumber people. “Young girls in stilettos on their way to a party and businessmen in suits going to work - no matter the weather and no matter where they are going - Copenhageners go by bike.

It is no wonder Copenhagen was elected Bike City as the first city ever. In Copenhagen 50% of all citizens commute by bike every day and there are more bikes than inhabitants,” stated the official website of Denmark.

Citing examples of Copenhagen and Amsterdam, Advait Jani of Institute for Transportation & Development Policy (ITDP) said that apart from providing infrastructure to promote cycling, measures should be employed to discourage motorised transport. “In cities like Copenhagen, Amsterdam and many other European metros, there is infrastructure built to make it cycle-friendly and better public transport options.

But at the same time, European cities have made it more difficult to use motorised, private transport. Here, that regularisation is not being done,” he pointed out.

But in Chennai, the dream of regularly cycling to work remains a far-fetched one, due to a basic reason – lack of respect by vehicle users. Ramanujar Moulana, Founder of the group Cycling Yogis, said, “The person driving a car doesn’t respect the cyclist, making it a safety concern. If you are cycling to work, there is stress to manoeuvre through the city traffic. But an increasing number of people cycling to work and Corporate organisations should provide shower facilities for such employees.

In addition, there is no proper forum to address the lack of infrastructure or safety issues.”