Have you
wondered about the things that would happen if the world ran with the bicycle as the chosen mode of
transport? Fresh air, less congestion, parking availability, safe riding,
healthy lifestyle, slender muscular physic, no pollution, no expense for fuel…
and the list goes on. What’s more? There would be equality between every rider.
As easy as all of it
sounds, bringing a cycling revolution across the country would be difficult.
The number of vehicles already on the highways in densely populated India
lessens the safety for cyclists. However, a state like Goa, with its
crisscrossing bylanes and inner roads that aren’t suited for motor vehicles,
does have hope. In fact, with a good bit of planning and a little discipline,
the bicycle could flourish here.
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Managing Director and
CEO at Imagine Panaji Smart City Development, Swayan Chaudhuri says, “For an
urban city like Panjim, looking at conventional and unconventional mechanisms
of transport is important because if we have to begin a cycling revolution in
Goa, it has to begin from scratch. If we want to go anywhere, we immediately
take our vehicles but then the other aspects come into picture, like parking
hassles and pollution. But till the time we try to bring a change, we won’t
understand what can and cannot happen.”
Apparently, the Smart
City has already begun building infrastructure – a cycle tract plant in
multiple places of Panjim City as part of their intervention plan. They are
also working on a public cycle bike sharing system at different points in the
city. The provisions of this plan may have GPS tracking bicycles as well as
geared and non-geared bikes. They have planned to keep the bicycle travel fee
of cost in order to create the awareness required. So get ready for that ride!
It may go unnoticed
but cycling already exists in forms of tour rides, or cycling groups, and
enthusiasts around Goa. It’s small, but they are really creating a difference.
Though thinking of
Goa with only cycles may sound fun, it also has its odds. Would you give up
that perfect SUV for a pedalling bike in the hot sun going to work? Doesn’t
sound fun right?
Bryan Soares,
architect and President of Cycling Goa, totally supports cycling and says that
it’s flawless for leisure purposes but bad for weather conditions, especially
in a state like Goa. “Either it’s sunny or rainy! Also, it won’t really be a
‘revolution’ because man began their transport from cycle and we want to go
back to it. It’s good for fun, health and entertainment but not as an
alternative to reduce traffic. In Goa, where drivers carelessly cause accidents
among pedestrians, cyclists are not safe at all,” he says.
A possible solution
to the hot and humid weather condition is the electric bike. B.live is an
organisation running in Goa that provides electric bikes taking people on tours
across the cities and towns of Goa. Their principals include fun over fuel and
No CO2 Go O2 and ‘No Sweat, only smiles’.
B.live encourages
people to participate in active cycling tours to experience the other side of
the world, which we otherwise miss due to usual fuel based vehicles. And that’s
how we would want our every day to be – An adventure on the Bicycle, whether
it’s work, school, outings or back home.
“I admire Amsterdam.
Let’s remember that it may or may not work, but I would loved to be a part of
the cycling revolution, and with the ongoing smart city plans, what’s there to
give it a try? Besides, Goa is capable of handling the change. Have you seen
these amazing roads in and around the city, those little bridges, the sidewalk
views… it would make the best spot for the use of cycles,” admits Joel Pereira,
a young cyclist.
Feasible
or not, despite the known odds, Sameer Nadkarni, President of Xati Riders,
supports the change. “This is absolutely possible,” he says. According to him,
people have changed their mindset and there is a bright future for a cycling
revolution in Goa. “It’s a good idea, however, the safety of the people should
be ensured. That’s the only problem I worry about. Probably a cycling lane for
cyclists would solve the issue and we may see a Goa off on those pedals,” he
concludes.
