Smart City: spots finalised for bicycle docking stations

20 stations to be set up initially; a mobile app to be roled out

Preferred areas: The Beach Road and the Bharathi Park are among the areas identified for bicycle docking stations in Puducherry under the smart city project.

The much-awaited bicycle-sharing scheme, a key component of the smart cities mission, has got a big push with the Puducherry Smart City Development Ltd. (PSCDL) finalising the docking stations. PSCDL will soon be floating tenders to select the operator to run the project.

The bicycle sharing scheme is among the 22 prioritised projects worth ₹493.51 crores, out of the 63 projects listed in the smart city proposal approved by the City Level Advisory Forum.

The ambitious project envisages an exclusive bicycle track of 10.3 km in the Area Based Development component of the smart cities mission.

Speaking to

The Hindu , Local Administration Department secretary Ashok Kumar said, “We will be floating tenders shortly to finalise the operator. The project will be under public private partnership (PPP) model. The department has identified 100 spots in the Boulevard.

To start with, the operator should establish around 20 docking stations with 10 to 15 cycles in each station. PSCDL will devise the working model in consultation with the operator and develop a mobile application to enable registered users to hire bicycles.”

The Beach Promenade, Bharathi Park, Gandhi Thidal, Mairie building, Sri Aurobindo Ashram and the Railway Station are some prominent points identified for the bicycle docking stations, he said.

Electronic transfer

The operator will develop an electronic money transfer application system. The bicycles would be equipped with smart locks which would open with a QR code.

Registered users or customers need to pay a nominal fee on an hourly basis through mobile wallet or Paytm to unlock the bicycle and leave it at any of the designated docking stations in the Boulevard.

The bicycles will be equipped with GPS and can be tracked for their availability at the nearest docking stations. “PSCDL will invite bids shortly and the suitable operator will be identified through quality-cum-revenue basis.

“The operator will be finalised after technical and financial bids and the project is expected to go on stream in the next two months,” said a senior official.

PSCDL will be asking the operator to come up with their own revenue model for the project. The docking stations will be set up on land belonging to the municipality and a portion of the revenue will go back to the local body.

The operator will be in charge of maintenance of the bicycles.