For Lina Hellstrom, the word Mumbai evokes images of too many people and lots of traffic. Her colleague Oskar Bergstrom too relates Mumbai’s traffic situation as “very congested”.
In spite of this, the two Swedish researchers studying spatial planning at the Blekinge Institute of Technology decided to do something quite unusual: Study the prospects of setting up a city-wide independent network for cycling.
According to Bergstrom, Mumbai urgently needs to encourage bicycle transport because it is environment-friendly, commuter health-friendly and also contributes to the social life of the streets.
More importantly, he says, “Access to bicycles is not a problem. Anyone can buy them.”
However, what about those travelling from the suburbs to commercial centres in the heart of the city? “There are many people making shorter trips in autos and taxis, and these trips could be done using bicycles. In Delhi, they have made a start already (by starting dedicated cycle lanes).” Almost expecting the next question, he adds, “I do know that in Mumbai the roads are not too wide and there are space constraints. But, that is another reason for taking to bicycles since they take less road space.”
Hellstrom admits that it’s a big ideal that they are aiming for. “We are students and cultural differences could make it difficult for us to get a grip over the issue.” But, the challenges have not dented her enthusiasm. “We will go step by step, contribute to more discussion about the issue and eventually convince at least some people that it (a cycle network) is possible.”
The two researchers plan to meet transport experts, administrators and activists to understand the city’s traffic situation, apart from doing the necessary field trips and surveys to different stretches of roads so that they can witness the traffic situation in person.
Once they have done their research, they will present two different proposals to implement a cycling network for Mumbai. They are being guided by urban researcher and transport expert Faizan Jawed.
Cycling has been important in the national urban transport policy but there has been no proposal for any cycling network in the city from the city planners.
