TOWARDS GREENER SPACES: Pandemic set to herald bicycling revolution in India

Like other parts of the world, India has experienced a boom in bicycle sales during the coronavirus pandemic. Although most Indian cities are not bicycle-friendly, there has been a sharp increase in recreational cycling during the pandemic as people try to beat cabin fever during lockdowns, get exercise, or avoid commutes on stuffed public transport. Gupta and his partner have been running a shop selling high-end bicycles and accessories in a posh South Delhi neighbourhood for four years.

Business suffered during India’s nationwide lockdown announced in March, but he has more than made up for it since the easing of restrictions. “Every year, March to June is when we see our sales peak. But in the last two months, sales have increased up to five-fold,” he told DW. “We’ve already done enough business for the whole year.”

Gupta still opens his store at 11 in the morning, but he is often forced to close late as customers keep coming in. He said the shop sees about 50-60 customers a day, some of whom are willing to spend over Rs 68,000 on a bike. A low-end bike goes for around Rs 5,000.

“This kind of boom in the bicycle industry has never happened. Even dealers who’ve been in the business for 50 years have never seen such sales. This is unprecedented,” Gupta said, adding that the long hours are wearing him out.

As more cyclists take to the streets of Indian cities, people are starting groups on social media to meet and organise rides. Gurpreet Singh Kharbanda, a New Delhi resident, created a group in early July. It already has 90 members, about 50 of whom are beginners. “People wanted a break from this monotonous routine during the pandemic. There were no outings and no fitness,” Kharbanda said. “I wanted to create a sense of community bonding and get more people to be active and take up a healthy lifestyle. It’s also a great way to meet new people on rides.”

The group mostly meets on weekends and rides around the city. One of the most popular spots for cyclists in New Delhi is the boulevard in front of India’s presidential palace, the Rashtrapati Bhavan. In the eastern metropolis of Kolkata, cycling enthusiasts have banded together to lobby for more bike lanes and promote the benefits of cycling for the community. The group says it wants to remove “obstacles to cycling in Kolkata while inspiring cycling culture in the city.”

Shiladitya Sinha, a member and organiser of the group, said that they have also brought a lot of people to the sport of cycling since the lockdown began. Some people come to them having never ridden a bike before.

“As far as Kolkata is concerned, the bicycle boom on one level is a very spontaneous thing, while on another level, it’s been a dedicated effort from our side,” Sinha said.

Most public transport in Kolkata was suspended by lockdowns. The metro alone carries 700,000 passengers daily.

“People now need private transport more than ever. Most of them cannot afford a car or motorbike, so cycling has become the only option for them now,” Sinha said, adding even people who can afford motorized transport are starting to opt for cycling. India’s Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said the pandemic has presented an opportunity to make cities more accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.