Getting out of the busy traffic in cities is an achievement, but for a way easier solution, you just need flexible transport with citizen favored services. According to data, Indians cover 36% of short trips every minute like from market to home, work out, or traveling nearby-which is also a cause addition to traffic. Cities like Bengaluru, Mysore, Mumbai, Delhi have undertaken existing Public Biking Systems. Public cycles allow several health benefits like reducing stress-anger, good cardio, and much more in an eco-friendly affordable manner leading you to your destination as fast as you drive. You can rent it, use it as your adventure drive, there are easy parking and pickups from various locations, you can repair it too. That’s how a smart city develops into a smarter one. It has several social benefits that allow you to get together, drive together or compete, and reach your destinations in an eco-friendly way. We also observe innocent animals getting killed or injured by vehicles, however, cycles are a way to overcome such injurious or harmful occurrences. This initiative will help you explore nature more and more every day. By using the public cycle you are already contributing to the environment along with SDGs -2030. So, you are now a SAVE-THE-PLANET-PERSON!
DRAWBACKS FROM TRIALS -
Cities like Bhopal, Kochi, Pune, Kolkata, Ranchi also undertook PBS but due to uncertainties like lack of funds, mismatched aims, not-used-to-cycling-culture, irresponsibility of citizens, and government care, the bike system got off-track. Pune was known as 'city of cycles' but apparently with time, faded maintenance, and loopholes - the public cycle culture is left with one or two public cycles near few areas in the city.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
Starting with awareness first - when we will be successful in making the citizens aware of the bonus points of public cycles and cycling, they will become more familiar and enthusiastic to boost the Public cycle use, with low damage or offending rate. Hero, Hercules are the two famous companies in India that manufacture the cycles at a very cheap/affordable rate. Along with globalization and liberalization initiatives, PPP = Public-Private Partnership can lead to a means of boosting the funds up and expanding of the PBS/ public cycles. The government of India can also collaborate with several environmental, developmental organizations who aim to work for a better environment or SDGs to boost the system. Proper funding check-ups and targeted amount of budget for public cycles and their maintenance along with an estimation of deals and taxes can lead to a proper way forward for the public cycles to enter THE SMART NATION [INIDIA].
FROM LOCAL TO RURAL -
This notion of bringing public cycles should not constrain till the urban or metropolitan cities only, instead, the setup should primarily start from rural areas. The geography of rural areas vary from state to state in India - there are few government schools and children from a distant location are hardly able to reach school with a calm, non-tiring mind to study throughout the day - as they cover a large distance in the morning by walking while using public cycle can lighter the extra work part and students can easily reach their schools.
…………TOWARDS 2030
From a binocular view, out of 17 goals in SDGs 2030, the use of public cycles in India can encompass goals like affordable and clean energy [Goal 7], leading to less usage of fuel, good health, and well-being [Goal 3] due to cycling exercise, industry innovation, and infrastructure [Goal 9] developing India’s infrastructure for a better change, reduced inequality [Goal 10], sustainable cities and communities [Goal 11], climate action [Goal 13] leading to a sustainable environment. This will help India prosper, develop and accomplish SDGs efficiently.
