Calvin Printer, Vice President and Head of Corporate Communication, Brand, for Dr Reddy’s group, dreams of cycling from his Begumpet residence to his Road No.3 Banjara Hills office, three months into the launch of Redibike, a cycle sharing initiative (conceived by the Dr Reddy’s group and Cykul). People cycling to their offices is a common trend, informs Deenanath Harapanahalli, CEO of Cykul (a cycle-manufacturing company), who comes with a decade-long experience of popularising cycling initiatives across the city. The digital initiative (where a user can register on a website and through an app) promises support for cyclists, provides cycle stations and a host of mobile maintenance services.
Beyond renting
Available to residents in Financial District and Gachibowli and priced at ₹375 a month, the concept works on a rental/sharing basis but also as a maintenance/booster service for those who own cycles. Redibike allows a user to grab a cycle for an hour at a stretch before they park it back at a station. If one needs it beyond an hour, they are free to pick up another cycle after the return. The app also helps one customise their own cycling programme for fitness, take the calories one has burnt into consideration and relate it to their cardiovascular goals for a particular week.
The start
“We had a contest within our company, where we asked our employees to come up with a name for the programme. The winner would get a cycle of his/her own. Redibike was a catchy name that gelled with our brand.”
Redibike picked Gachibowli and the Financial District for its pilot run of 400 cycles because the areas are conducive to cycling by virtue of its infrastructure and an open-minded, tech-savvy IT crowd to push the concept. “The results have been promising. What we learnt from such initiatives implemented abroad were to track usage patterns and the technological facets early enough. As a pharmaceutical brand, we wanted to go beyond medicine in providing, enabling and ensuring good health for people,” says Calvin, adding that bringing down vehicular density and reducing the carbon footprint in the city were aspects the Dr Reddy’s group considered.
Deenanath elaborates,“We are already under pressure to increase the number of cycles, and thereby the number of stations too. What’s attracting people to Redibike are its security and maintenance aspects, there’s a system that takes care of the initiative.” Introducing this near KBR Park would be a dream add-on, Calvin adds that their team will also work on developing more cycling tracks across other areas in the city in future.
