Cycles4change initiative launched to make cities bicycle friendly post lockdown

CHENNAI: Cycling in cities as a means of transport will increase by 50%-65% post lockdown, a study by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) has found. With this in mind, the ministry of housing and urban affairs along with Smart Cities Mission and ITDP launched the cycles4change initiative on Friday.
The initiative aims at inspiring and supporting cities to quickly implement cycling-friendly initiatives in response to COVID-19.In addition to creating extensive cycling-networks through low-cost interventions like pop-up cycle lanes and traffic-calmed or non-motorized zones, cities are also encouraged to launch programmes such as community-led cycle rental schemes that increase the availability of cycles to citizens and promote the usage of cycling through public events and outreach.
The India programme of ITDP will function as the knowledge partner of the Smart Cities Mission. ITDP will assist in guiding cities to develop and implement their proposals.
The participants of this mission include 141 smart cities with more than five lakh population including, Erode, Thanjavur, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Trichirapalli, Tirupur, Salem, Madurai, Chennai and Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.
The mission comprises two stages, the first one where the cities will document one pilot project, create a concept plan to scale it up across the city, community engagement and communication plan, financial plan of action for scale-up; and the second stage where the cities implement the projects across the city. Cycling interventions implemented before July will not be considered for the challenge.
Ashwathy Dilip of ITDP said, “The ITDP India programme will provide assistance to the cities in strategising and implementing pilots as well as to develop their scale-up strategy. Online workshops with national and international experts to assist cities in developing and implementing their proposals will be done. We will also share case studies of how such initiatives have been planned and implemented in Indian and global cities.”
The cities should identify a nodal officer and other members of the team who are expected to coordinate on the planning, design and implementation of the challenge. The cities are also encouraged to hire interns through the ‘TULIP’ programme to support them for the two stages.
The Smart Cities Mission will set up a panel of experts to review the submissions and shortlist 11 cities which will move into Stage 2. The cities will receive award money of Rs 1 crore each and citation and guidance from national and international experts for scaling up the pilot interventions and for implementation.
The cities should register before July 21, 2020. Shortlisted cities will be announced on October 28.