New Delhi: To make Delhi walkable and a cycle-friendly, a dedicated cycling corridor called the ‘Delhi Cycle Walk’ is on the anvil. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will lay the foundation stone for the project proposed to be launched on a budget of Rs 550 crore at Tughlakabad on January 6.
The first phase of the project, which is likely to be completed in four years, will cover 36 km and connect neighbourhoods that include Badarpur,Tughlaqabad, Saket, Malviya Nagar, Chirag Delhi, Kalkaji, Nehru Place and Vasant Kunj. It will also cover large parts of the Jahapanah forests and other green spaces.
The main objectives of the project include making the city walkable and environment-friendly; helping people save money by encouraging them to walk down or cycle to their places of work, shopping and studies; reducing pollution; connecting all the forests of the city; and revival of the dried-up lakes, said the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) in a press statement.
The project also covers several lakes and water bodies, the DDA said.
Under the project, cycling tracks called “On Grade Tracks” will connect business districts, offices, schools, colleges and metro stations. The width of both the cycle track and the walkway will be 2.4 metres each with a green strip of a metre width separating the two.
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The first phase of the project will have three corridors. The Nilgai Line will connect Badarpur with the Malviya Nagar Metro Station. The Peacock Line will cover Malviya Nagar to Vasant Kunj. The Bulbul Line connects Chiragh Dilli with Nehru Place.
“The Delhi Cycle Walk will be a controlled track with defined and secure entrance points near residential areas and exit points near places of work, schools etc.These points of entry shall be called origin (and) destination plazas and shall have facilities such as washrooms, tea, coffee, cycle repair points, vehicle parking spaces,” said the authority.
It further said, “The forests which have been cut by roads will now be joined by building lawns on both sides of the road and then creating under bridge-like infrastructure. Cycle Walk tracks shall move seamlessly from one forest to another. Small water lakes shall also be created to solve water logging problem in sunken areas.”
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The project will have universal accessibility, rainwater harvesting chambers, parking spaces, CCTV cameras every 100 metres with a centralised monitoring system, public toilet and solar lights.
Over the course of time, the whole network shall exceed 200 km.
More than 11 lakh active cyclists use the roads of Delhi. Most of these are regular commuters who cycle from home to work and back. Genrally, the distance covered by them are under 10 km. Most cyclists prefer to use cycle lanes wherever they are clean and contiguous. Not only low-wage earning working population, cycling enthusiasts and students also use cycle to commute.
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“Though the percentage of those who use to commute is small, it can increase in case a safe, convenient and practical option is available,” said the DDA statement.
“The Delhi Cycle walk has been conceived with the objective to take a few million car rides out of the Delhi roads and allow people to walk and cycle safely and joyfully. Cycle/ walk to work, Cycle/walk to study, Cycle/ walk to shop, Cycle/walk to stay fit and therefore the DELHI CYCLEWALK,” the statement further said.
