Lack of dedicated track puts brakes on cycling in Puducherry

The city has more than 500 cycling enthusiasts, but there is no system in place to ensure a hassle-free passage for cyclists

Though cycling has picked up in the city as a sustainable mode of transport, the lack of supportive infrastructure such as cycle docking stations and a dedicated cycle track for safe and hassle-free movement is yet to come up in Puducherry.

The Public Bicycle Sharing System (PBSS) was conceptualised in 2019 to promote cycling culture in the city. However, not a single lane has been readied on any of the key roads in the city, say cyclists.

According to P. Gopalakrishnan, vice-president of Pondicherry Cyclists’ Association, though the city has more than 500 cycling enthusiasts, there is no system in place to ensure a hassle-free passage for cyclists.

“The city’s traffic has no empathy for cyclists. Motorists and other vehicle users show scant respect and cyclists are subjected to continuous honking and even verbal abuse by vehicle users to keep them off the road. With the city lacking dedicated cycle lanes, cyclists participate in rides on the East Coast Road and roads in the northern suburbs of Oussudu and Thirukkanur,” he said.

According to S. Nadarajan, a resident, “The grid-pattern design of Puducherry conceptualised by the French during the pre-merger days was more ideal for cycling as two-wheelers and cars were very scarce then. Bicycles were so popular that school headmasters and teachers used them for commuting to their workplace. The municipal authorities levied taxes on bicycles and small metallic pieces containing the words ‘Bicyclette Pondicheri’ were affixed on the brake pads. The tax was payable annually,” he said.

The Pondy Pedalers, which began in 2018 with 15 enthusiasts, has now more than 150 members including kids, professionals and sexagenarians, and conducts regular rides to Auroville and within the Boulevard. according to A.R. Mohana Krishnan, founding-member of Pondy Pedalers.

“Cities like Visakhapatnam, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad have dedicated cycling tracks. Given the rise in number of cycling enthusiasts in Puducherry, the government should create cycle routes with the required infrastructure and amenities. This has been a long-pending demand,” he said.