Residents of Himachali Society in Dwarka Sector 3 have started sharing cycles with the intent of bonding with each other. In this context, a volunteer cycle club has been constituted by some enthusiastic residents with the help of the administration and well-wishers.
Simply put, the concept is that residents can use anybody’s bicycle within the society. Vikas Bhatnagar, one of the two pioneers of the campaign, aptly described the initiative as ‘bicycle for those who need it’.
Elaborating the concept, Bhatnagar said, “Here, you won’t find any bicycle locked. All bicycles are kept unlocked, to encourage anyone and everyone to use them if required. You can choose any bicycle you lay your hands on, no matter who it belongs to, and pedal around the campus.”
“This approach of sharing, he said “has brought us closer to each other. I am glad that a seemingly obscure idea that took shape in November 2015, caught the imagination of entire society within a year.”
Narrating how and under what circumstances the idea crossed their mind, Sharad Gupta, his friend and other pioneer, said, “It was during a bicycle trip in Bharatpur when we thought why we can’t replicate the cycle sharing concept in Dwarka. Back in Dwarka, while walking on the campus I saw a brand new bicycle. I could not resist the temptation to pick it up for a ride.”
When the owner found his bicycle missing from the spot he had parked it, he immediately called the police. By the time the police arrived on the spot he returned the owner his property.
Later, he shared the experience with Vikas and together with him decided to take an initiative to conceptualise cycle sharing idea where anyone can use anybody’s bicycle within the campus. The rest, as they say, is history.
Today, the concept has caught up with adults and children alike.
On how the idea was conceptualised and implemented, Vikas said, “After our return from Bharatpur, we took a round of our society and found that though there were many bicycles available with children, most were lying unused. We hired a mechanic for a day, who with the help of my son, his friends and other children from the society got all the bikes repaired. I requested the children to share their bicycles with anyone within the complex.
Management of the society and the residents welcomed the cycle club.
“We initiated this experience for children with the purpose of promoting cycling in the society, but overtime it inspired adults too and the humble bicycle became a symbol of community bonding,” concluded Vikas with deep sense of satisfaction.
