Why not cycle to work and save the environment?

If an office-goer cycles to work once a week for a year, s/he will save Rs 9,500 apart from the numerous benefits linked to health and environment. However, the individual will have to cycle around 20km a week to save the amount.

'Cycle2Work' is a project that aims to promote cycling as an alternate mode of transport and pitches cycling against motorised transport. It's now attempting to modify people's commuting attitude and coax them to cycle to office and back.

On June 6 morning, on the occasion of the World Environment Day, working professionals, cycling enthusiasts, etc will cycle to Bandra Kurla Complex, a business district. The starting points will be Goregaon, Raymond in Thane, and Mumbai Traffic Police Offices at Worli and Chembur.

"The problem is that people on the road do not respect cyclists. That attitude must change," said Piyush Shah of 'Cycle2Work'.

According to Ashok Datar, a transport analyst with Mumbai Environment Social Network, "Currently, 10 per cent of the commuters occupy 80 per cent of the road space. That isn't sustainable transport."

"Sustainable transportation includes cycling to work. For that, we don't have to rely on dedicated cycle lanes. We won't need the proposed coastal road on the western periphery of Mumbai if cycling is adopted as a practice," added Rishi Aggarwal, an environmentalist with Observer Research Foundation.

However, to promote cycling as a mode of transport, support will have to come from even corporates/employers. Offices will have to have free cycle parking facilities as well as shower rooms for employees to get fresh.

If such support systems are provided, commuting woes can surely be cut down drastically in a metropolis like Mumbai where commuting is a daily struggle.