Association of Active Bicyclers Association-supported 18-day cycle yatra by 30 Acharya Nagarjuna University students, with an aim to promote cycling among general public, concluded on a positive note.
Association Secretary V. Satyanarayana on Sunday said that the yatra, which was flagged off from Vijayawada on September 19, could not be continued from Goa to Mumbai owing to mechanical trouble to majority of the vehicles.
“Soon after reaching Bangalore on September 26, we met Karnataka Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda and explained him our motto. We requested him to promote cycling in all the educational institutions in Karnataka. He gave us a certificate of appreciation,” he said. On the day they met the Chief Minister he distributed bicycles to the eighth standard students of an educational institution.
Mr. Satyanarayana said that the contingent also met the Bangalore University vice-chancellor and exhorted him to promote cycling among students. He promised to buy 50 cycles for the students and staff.
The members of the Association of Active Bicyclers met the Ongole Member of Parliament M. Srinivasul Reddy and requested him to help Parliament pass a bill in making cycling compulsory in the educational institutions. They also interacted with Telugu Desam Party chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu at Nellore and explained him their primary object of promoting cycling.
The cyclists would resume their yatra promoting good health and environment among public from Srinagar to New Delhi in the last week of October.
“We will also take up a yatra from Vijayawada to Tirupathi through Sriharikota in January 2012,” he said.
Cycle yatras, under the adventure sports programme of University Grants Commission, are supported by Nehru Yuva Kendra, District Youth Welfare Department and Youth Hostels Association, he added.
