This coastal city seems set to take new strides in going green – and pedal-healthy.
Having successfully introduced ‘no motor vehicle' zones across 20 km of roads, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is seeking to further the use of cycles in order to reduce pollution caused by motor vehicles.
It plans to introduce a community cycling initiative over 10.5 sq km of roads in downtown Visakhapatnam, under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Popular
The introduction of four cycling zones, notably along the picturesque Beach Road, had caught the popular imagination in recent months.
Every Monday, civic officials, including the Municipal Commissioner, use cycles or public transport to go to work, putting away official vehicles for the day.
According to Municipal Commissioner B. Ramanjaneyulu, in the central parts of the city, cycling tracks will be earmarked on 100-feet roads to a width of about 8 feet.
Five stations are proposed in the busy areas to park cycles. Such facilities at the bus station and the railway station would aid commuters.
Those who can operate cycles with smart cards will get subsidised membership.
Mr. Ramanjaneyulu said that along the 42-km Bus Rapid Transit System route also, provision has been made for cycling tracks.
The GVMC will seek Rs.4 crore for the project. The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board has offered Rs.1 crore. The Visakhapatnam Port Trust and certain industrial units have promised support.
Industrial pollution
Industrial pollution, including that generated by port operations, is a problem here. After sustained protests from residents, the Parliamentary Committee on Science, Technology and Environment has suggested a plan to plant 40 lakh saplings.
Visakhapatnam is one of the four target cities where the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) has been working out strategies for climate change adaptation.
The ICLEI South Asia has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the GVMC for a study on climate change mitigation strategies. It has promised technical support to import cycles to be made available to registered members once the cycling project is in place.
