GB approves Rs7-crore plan; BJP, Shiv Sena and MNS call it a financial liability.
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) general body (GB) on Monday approved a proposal for the public bicycle project.
Under the Rs7-crore plan, the contractor would make 300 bicycles available to citizens on rent, at an effective cost of Rs2.33 lakh per piece (including stands, staff and other expeditures).
Although the project is to be implemented on the design-build-own-operate and transfer (DBOOT) principle, the civic body would provide Rs3.27 crore to the contractor as viability gap funding.
Even as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) strongly opposed the proposal citing errors in the project and its exorbitant cost, it was passed with the support of the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress.
Municipal commissioner Mahesh Pathak said that the project is to be undertaken for modal shift in transport system. The contractor would build cycle stands of 100 square feet each at 25 locations in the city. Citizens can get bicycles at these stands on rent and can be used to cover short distances.
He said that although the contractor would get advertisement rights at these stands, it was found that over a period of seven years there is a viability gap and it would be filled by the PMC.
Pathak said that the scheme would not be restricted to 300 bicycles, but the number would be increased to 600 and then 1,200.
He said that there are cycle tracks of length 125 km in the city developed by the civic body. It is true that there are some problems with these tracks.
The PMC would make provision for their maintenance and seek NGOs assistance for their management. Shiv Sena group leader Sham Deshpande said that the project would financially bleed the PMC as citizens are no more using bicycles. He sought an effective alternative project for public transport and environment.
Deshpande said that the project’s cost is too high. The 100 square feet stand is supposed to be built at Rs4 lakh apiece at a construction cost of Rs4,000 per square foot.
MNS members Babu Wagaskar and Kishor Shinde also opposed the scheme.
Independent corporator Ujwal Keskar said that although the concept of public bicycle is good, the project was hurriedly introduced on the eve of election.
It was another effort of selling a dream to citizens like sky bus, light rail transit or metro. Group leader of Congress and leader of opposition Aba Bagul said that it was a good project and members should support it.
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