Put a brake on that car, pedal your way up

Congested roads and packed locals make commuting a nightmare for Mumbaikars.

That most city dwellers don't expect the Mono Rail or Metro to end their commuting woes soon is also well known. Now some people have decided to do something proactive about it, they're giving the many-wheeled contraptions a miss and choosing two-wheeled ones instead.

Assad Dadan an animator and senior technical instructor at Frameboxx has chosen the humble cycle for his daily commute from his Khar residence to his Bandra office.

"People give me strange looks when I ride to work, as it is rare in our city. Other than being convenient, cycling has many benefits. I don't waste time haggling with auto drivers or get stuck in traffic. The best benefit is the fact that my cycle doesn't take up too much space, so no more parking woes for me," he grins.

He is not the only one. Public relations executive Reby Abraham began cycling to get some exercise.

"I ride from Sion to Wadala Five Garden and back. I want to increase my stamina and be fit. Next year I plan to compete in the Cyclothon," says Reby 

Premier institutes like Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) have banned motor vehicles on their campus to encourage greener modes of transport.

"We use cycles to get around the campus. This helps reduce emission of carbon monoxide and noise. We have also conducted cycle races to get students to participate," says Amardeep Modi, IIT-B festival Mood Indigo's coordinator.

Apart from the IIT-B in North Eastern Mumbai, in the Southern part of the island city too many defence personnel can be seen cycling.

"We organise cycle expeditions on a regular basis. Recently we went to Lonavala and Jamnagar while spreading the message of adopting greener modes of transport and educating people about the benefits of cycling," pointed out Public Relations Officer for Defence, Capt Manohar Nambiar.

In a bid to popularise cycling among others, the city has hosted events like the Cyclothon.  Many NGOs and activists have also been raising the issue with the government to promote cycling as a mode of  commuting and developing infrastructure to support cycling.

Recently, Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has come up with a project to install 13 km cycle track in the plush business district of Bandra Kurla complex which will be completed by March 2011. 

With this Mumbai will finally have at least one cycle track on par with the ones like Holland and Wales, UK, where there are dedicated cyclists' lanes.

But does Mumbai have the space for such things? Activist Krishnaraj Rao says, "All the more reason then to have optimal means of transport. This will save space, reduce pollution and help Mumbai fight it battle with the bulge," and suggests, "The government should increase the levies on cars and incentivise bicycles to popularize the concept." 

He rued and suggested, "Though cycle tracks have been laid in Bandra-Kurla complex there are no provisions for cycle stands and security like in other countries where cycling has been readily embraced.

This can definitely be a solution to traffic chaos in the city. Once the infrastructure is created, awareness campaigns can be used to motivate people to cycle."

While young children and students are quite enthusiastic about adopting the cycle for transport, most parents don't share their excitement.

"I will not allow my son to ride a cycle on the city's roads. It'll be dangerous because of rash drivers and over-speeding heavy vehicles," said Ravi Singh, a government employee. 

Looks like the humble cycle has a lot of pedalling uphill to do to peddle itself.