Hyderabad: To promote the use of bicycles for commuting in the city, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has decided to build cycle tracks wherever feasible on the 709.49 km main road network in its jurisdiction.
A 450 metre cycle track from Rolling Hills to AIG Hospitals, a 2 km cycling track from Bio Diversity Junction to Leather Park and a 2.25 km cycling track from Khajaguda to Nanakramguda are some of the tracks that are presently under construction. The other main road stretches where the works for setting up cycling tracks are in progress include Tolichowki to Shaikpet stretch, Narsapur road to Balanagar and Mettuguda to Tarnaka.
These tracks will have kerbs on either side to isolate the cyclist from regular traffic thereby ensuring seamless cycling comfort and also enhancing their safety.
On the main roads where a dedicated cycle track cannot be developed, the plan is to demarcate an area exclusively for cyclists and raise temporary barricades on the road for the safety of cyclists. In such places, these barricades are to be placed in the early hours of the day and removed by office hours. However, a decision regarding this project will be taken by Municipal Administration & Urban Development (MA&UD) department, said a GHMC official.
“These facilities for cyclists are being developed on the instructions of MA&UD Minister KT Rama Rao. More tracks will be built in the coming days and the MA&UD department will take a final decision on the model of the track to develop similar facilities on a large scale,” the official said.
Though the 709.49 main road network in the city has been handed over to the Comprehensive Road Maintenance Programme (CRMP) agencies for maintenance, apart from these agencies, the GHMC is also developing some tracks.
Estimates for developing cycling tracks have been prepared at zonal level and the same are to be sent for approval. At several places along with the cycle tracks, pavements are also being built and saplings are being raised.
