Bangalore plans to grant right of way to cyclists on 11 major roads.
After becoming the first city in the country to encourage its bureaucrats to use bicycles to commute to office, Mysore will now have dedicated lanes for cyclists on some of its roads.
Eleven major roads—and a total of 20 km—will grant extra rights of way to cyclists in Mysore. A posse of officials, headed by deputy commissioner PS Vastrad, have asked traffic police and Mysore City Corporation to take up the task of marking these roads. The area reserved for cyclists will be painted in yellow.
Vastrad said this was a long-term plan. The markings on the road would indicate to other motorists to keep away from that portion of the road. Also, boards would be put up on these roads to tell people about bicycle-only lanes. He said notwithstanding the limited number of roads that have been identified for this project initially, soon the city administration would be able to cover a wider area and make it safe for cyclists.
Mysore has already started expressing its newfound love for cycling. The university campus at Manasagangotri is a case in point. Foreign students studying here have started buying bicycles. Some of the staff members who live in the university quarters have also bought bicycles and started using them.
Ramakrishnaiah, 51, is one such staff member. He said these days, cycles come with as many as 10 gears, disc brakes, and are light and safe. He said it is fun to ride the bicycles.
On Wednesday, he rode from Kamakshi Layout to Crawford Hall—a distance of five km—and now plans to do it every day.
The scene on the Amba Vilas Palace premises was even more encouraging: tourists were seen exploring the place on bicycles.
Deputy director of the Palace Board, TS Subramanya, said the board provides 10 cycles for tourists and they have to pay a nominal rent to use them. He said the number of bicycles would be increased soon. Subramanya himself has started using bicycle to come to office.
MUDA commissioner CG Betsurmath, Mysore City Corporation commissioner MR Ravi and Vastrad have also started coming to office on bicycle once a week (every Monday). They plan to make it two days a week soon.
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