Delay in cycle sharing project implementation

Tirupati: Introduction of cycle sharing in three varsity campuses here with smart city funds did not progress as expected. Four months ago, a meeting was held in which District Collector PS Pradyumna, Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) Commissioner Vijay Rama Raju, Vice-Chancellors of Sri Padmavathi Mahila Visva Vidyalayam (SPMVV), Sri Venkateswara University (SVU) and Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University (SVVU) took part.

Thousands of students, teaching and non-teaching staff in three varsities are using personal vehicles for mode of transport resulting in increase of pollution levels. 

It was decided in the previous meeting that the civic staff and Germany-based cycle making company should sensitise the students on ill-effects of using petrol and diesel run vehicles in the campuses. Till now, awareness was not created among students in the above-mentioned varsities on adversities of using conventional fuel vehicles.

It is learnt that the MCT did not allocate funds for buying the cycles. Even, docking stations were also not constructed in the designated places in varsities. Regarding implementation of cycle sharing project, civic body authorities did not select the agency so far. Tirupati-based social activist M Purushotham Reddy has criticised the MCT authorities for not focusing on completing projects.