The council of Mangaluru City Corporation has approved a proposal for constructing cycling routes at different locations in the city to a total length of about 12 km under the Smart City mission.
The routes will pass through lanes and main roads at different identified stretches.
The ₹ 8.16-crore funding for the project is expected to come from the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), under the Urban Development Department.
An official from Mangaluru Smart City Ltd. (MSCL) said that the project will be taken up on a pilot basis now. Of about the 12-km route to be constructed, nine kilometres will pass through different lanes and a 3.5-km route will be built on the main roads.
According to the agenda on the project approved by the council, bids have been invited to take up the project in two packages of ₹ 2.72 crore and ₹ 3.27 crore.
Routes identified
In package I to cost ₹ 2.72 crore, the route will be built from the riverfront in Bolara to the mini Vidhana Soudha in Hampankatta to a length of about four kilometres. It will pass through different small lanes and not through the main roads.
In package II which comprises building routes to a total length of about 8 km, they will be constructed from Kudmul Ranga Rao Town Hall to TMA Pail Hall on M.G. Road, Marnamikatta to Father Muller Hospital at Kankanady and from S.L. Mathais Road to Sturruck Road.
The official said that the route from the Town Hall to TMA Pail Hall will pass through different identified lanes and not through the main road. The route which will be built from Marnamikatta to Father Muller Hospital and from S.L. Mathais Road to Sturruck Road will be on the two main roads.
He said that no four-wheelers will be allowed on the cycling routes which will pass through only lanes. The cycling routes will be painted and will have the sign boards required.
In addition to Mangaluru, the government has planned to construct cycling routes in the Smart cities of Belagavi, Bengaluru, Davangere, Hubballi-Dharwad, Kalaburagi, Mysuru, Shivamogga and Tumakuru, the agenda said.
