To improve the Public Bicycle Sharing(PBS) system in Bengaluru, the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) will set up a pedal assisted bicycles (e-bicycles) system in Malleshwaram .
The DULT has recently issued an invitation for Expression of Interest (EOI) to establish an electric PBS system for servicing ward numbers 45 and 55 in the Malleshwaram locality. According to DULT authorities, the primary objective of implementing the e-bicycle system is to address the connectivity challenges for the first and last mile within the neighborhood.
“For this, DULT is collaborating with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit(GIZ) (the German development agency) and Bosch Ltd under the aegis of Green Urban Mobility innovation Living Lab (GUMI-LL) to develop sustainable, inclusive and smart mobility solutions through a multi-stakeholder platform,” the DULT stated in the EOI document.
A senior DULT official said, “DULT and GUMI-LL are collaborating closely with the Malleshwaram community to introduce a PBS system featuring pedal-assisted bicycles (e-bicycles). The objective of the project is to promote cycling for first and last mile trips within the neighborhood by providing shared electric bicycles.”
Operators interested should be able to do so for three years after installation. According to DULT, the components of the electric bicycles include having basic specifications like unisex design, durable, lightweight, theft proof, heavy-duty rims, puncture resistant tires, light reflectors and LED lights to make the bicycles more visible to vehicles during night.
Suchithra Prasad, a resident of Malleshwaram, termed it a welcome initiative. “It is a welcome initiative in our neighborhood. It promises to enhance our daily commute by addressing first and last-mile connectivity issues. These pedal-assisted bicycles will not only reduce traffic congestion, but also contribute to a cleaner and greener environment. I look forward to the positive impact it will bring to our community,” she said.
Another resident, Dhanush K.B., said, “The PBS initiative in Malleshwaram is commendable, and we should consider expanding it to other parts of the area, particularly connecting to metro stations. Since the closest metro stations for Malleshwaram residents are Mantri Mall station, and Srirampura, implementing PBS at these metro stations would be a valuable solution to address the last-mile connectivity challenge.”
In a recent Personal2Public (P2P) survey report by NGOs, including the Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC) and WRI India, only 1.42% of the people prefer bicycles as the main mode of transport in the city. The report states that the average trip length of cycle users is 6.36 km and the time spent to cover this distance is 30 to 45 minutes. Around 0.78% of existing public transport users prefer to cycle to reach the nearest metro or bus stop.
“Half the responders to the P2P survey live within 3 km of a metro station. 22% of those already own a bicycle. If metro provides safe bicycle parking in metro stations we will be able to solve the first-mile problem at zero cost compared to any other shared mode. If companies within 3kms of a metro station provided shared bicycles to employees on the other end which can be parked in the metro stations, we would have solved end mile problems at the lowest cost, most efficient and carbon neutral way for lakhs of people who take the Metro everyday,” said Sathya Sankaran, Council for Active Mobility and Bicycle Mayor Bengaluru.
