In 6 months, Bangalore to skip the cycle of jams

For those of you who have an expensive bicycle, want to ride it often, but are terrified of doing so owing to the fear of getting knocked down, here's some good news.

The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) has submitted a Detailed Project Report (DTP) to the BBMP for laying dedicated cycle lanes in MG Road and Madivala, and is waiting for the civic agency’s nod. The cost of the project will be shared by the BBMP and the DULT on a 50:50 basis.

The first encouraging step in making the city bicycle-friendly was the project taken up in Jayanagar. But Madivala will be different. Unlike Jayanagar, Madivala will have dedicated lanes for cyclists.

A BBMP official said the project will take a little more than six months to be executed. “Once we get the approval, the project should take a little longer than six months to be completed as it will also include some civil works.”

The officials said that a dedicated cycle lane will be created wherever possible, while in other places, cycle-friendly lanes, similar to those in Jayanagar, will be laid.

The DULT, in the meantime, is already conducting feasibility reports for areas such as RT Nagar, RMV II Stage, Indiranagar and Koramangala. “We hope that once the work is completed, we will be able to bring together different areas of Bangalore,” said a DULT official.

“From Madivala, cyclists can go to HSR Layout, where we have asked the DULT to conduct a feasibility report. From HSR Layout, they can go to Koramangala and from there to MG Road as well as Indiranagar. This way we hope the roads in Bangalore will not deter cyclists from travelling long distances,” said the official.