Environmentally conscious Bandra residents are planning to demarcate a 7-km cycling track along its seafront. "We want to create a pollutant-free city and help save fuel," said Anandini Thakoor, chairperson, Khar-Bandra-Santacruz (KBS) Foundation, a citizen group which is promoting the project.
KBS is looking into the possibility of connecting Carter Road to Khar Danda, right up to Reclamation through Chimbai and Bandstand, a continuous stretch of 7 km, for the cycling track.
While the project is in its infancy, the first step will be to create a demand for the usage of cycles. "This is like a form of exercise, and also environment friendly," said Ranjiv Jhangiani, a member of KBS. KBS has roped in Open Bicycles Project, an awareness group, to do the traffic analysis in Bandra.
The technical assistance for policy and project formulation, planning and design will be submitted to the government agencies by Interface for Cycling Expertise, a Dutch expertise provider.
When asked why a similar initiative by Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) failed, Jhangiani said, "Perhaps they created the tracks first. We will create the demand first and then approach the government for approval and funding."
Said Renuka Tahiliyani, a resident of Bandra, "For the last six Sundays, residents of Bandra and Khar have been cycling in a group at 7.15 am for 2 hours to various parts of the city." The curtain raiser for the project will be by KBS today with a screening of an international film on cycling at the Carter Road promenade.
