Several bicycle enthusiasts, who participated in the World Bicycle Day rally organised in Mysuru on Friday, pledged to use the bicycle for their day-to-day activities.
The participants, who turned up for the 7.5 km World Bicycle Day rally at Kote Anjaneya Swamy Temple early on Friday, were administered the oath – I take this pledge today on the World Bicycle Day that I will always try to use the bicycle for my day-to-day activities because it is good for physical and mental health, eco-friendly and more economical. Therefore, I would like to take this pledge literally and start using bicycle for day-to-day work and also encourage others to use bicycle for their day-to-day activities.
The bicycle rally organised by Government of India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Nehru Yuva Kendra, Mysuru, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, Mysuru, besides NSS unit of University of Mysore and the Cycling My Sooru Coaching Institute, as part of Azadi K Amrit Mahotsav, was flagged off from Kote Anjaneya Swamy Temple by senior officials including District Health Officer Prasad and Assistant Director of Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports K. Suresh.
The 7.5 km rally passed through Hardinge Circle, Gun House Circle, Ramaswamy Circle, Maharaja’s Grounds, Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Hunsur Road, Metropole Circle, City Railway Station, K.R. Hospital, General Post Office and Ashoka Road before returning to the starting point of Kote Anjaneya Swamy Temple.
A number of participants used the cycles made available by Trin Trin, the public bicycle sharing initiative in Mysuru.
It may also be mentioned here that Trin Trin, the country’s first public bicycle sharing initiative was launched in Mysuru in June 2017 by Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) with 450 bicycles and 48 docking stations across different parts of the City.
Over the years, the popularity of Trin Trin bicycles had picked up with many students as well as general public, including the health-conscious citizens, patronising the facility, taking the daily ridership past 1,200 mark.
In view of the good response, the authorities have now decided to expand the facility by increasing the number of cycles to 1,000 and the docking stations to 100.
Apart from increasing the number of bicycles, the authorities are even planning to introduce pedal-assisted cycles that are battery-powered and help reduce the stress on the user’s knees and thighs from pedalling. The cyclists will have the option of using either pedal-assist cycles or regular cycles.
The authorities, who had already invited the tenders, are expected to issue work orders related to the expansion plan after the model code of conduct for the ensuing elections to the Legislative Council from South Graduates constituency concludes this month.
