The Times of India                26.09.2013

Jaipur Development Authority to send rent-a-bicycle plan proposal to Centre

JAIPUR: The Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) is all set to send a proposal on the Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) scheme to the Centre in a move to decongest the Walled City area.

After receiving nod from the state steering committee for the scheme, JDA will now be seeking Centre's aid to provide bicycles on rent to encourage people to opt for the eco-friendly way over using cars and other vehicles.

"Pedestrians and cyclists are an ignored lot in the Walled City area. Considering this fact, we have drafted a detail project report (DPR) of the scheme. It will be sent soon to the Central government for approval," N C Mathur, director, (engineering-I) of JDA said.

As per the DPR, 1,000 bicycles would be available on rent under Phase-1 of the project for tourists as well as locals to roam around the area. The estimated project cost is Rs 4.5 crore. "It is calculated that 200 bicycles are sufficient for one square km area. The Walled City covers an area of 6.7 sq km, therefore, the project will initially be launched with 1,000 bicycles which can be later increased depending on the response," Mathur said.

A survey carried out by JDA before the DPR estimated that 72 cycle stands need to be developed near the Metro and bus stands so that commuters can easily rent the cycles as soon as they reach Walled City.

At one cycle stand, 20 bicycles can be parked. "There will be no charges for the first 30 minutes to encourage people to opt for it. Commuters can also rent a bicycle for an entire day at a fixed rate. Besides, the facility of monthly passes will be available for daily commuters," an official said.

The JDA officials involved in the survey sought expertise from various agencies like Embark and Centre for Green Mobility for successful implementation of the scheme. Officials claimed that under the scheme, a pilot project for cycle rickshaw corridor will also be started on trial basis. Initially, the corridor is proposed on one stretch of the Walled City -from Sanganeri Gate to Govindevji temple.

It is proposed to provide a 2.5 mt dedicated corridor on either side of the proposed stretch. This corridor is proposed to be aligned at a distance of 1 metre from covered verandas of the market. "The state government is making all possible efforts for providing a world-class public transport system. Development of non- motorized transport systems for short distances is one of the possibilities in this direction," an official added.