GHMC to launch bicycle sharing facility

The ‘Car-Free-Thursday’ initiative launched by IT Community to encourage IT/ITeS sector employees to use public transport, carpools, cycles and walk to work is one year now and is still strong on awareness.

To mark the occasion, a function was called for which in which Mayor Bonthu Rammohan; HYSEA members Ranga Pothula (President); Ramesh Loganathan (MD); Prashanth Bachu, Urban Transport Expert, WRI India, Murali Bollu of Zen Q and others participated.

The Mayor unveiled a new poster to mark the occasion and a way forward was planned. Certificates of appreciation were handed over to all those who partnered in the imitative.

Addressing the gathering Bonthu Rammohan said, “The GHMC will soon launch Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) facility in Hitec City and we will set up ten such stations very soon.

As per this, commuters will be able to take cycles on rent from a residential area and travel to the nearest place.”

He also appealed to the HYSEA and other partners of Car Free Thursday to come out with novel methods and systems to make this initiative more popular.

“We will restore public footpaths in the city. We will also come out walking tracks,” he informed.

As part of the celebration, children from Jain Heritage School read out messages collected as part of “One Lakh Hands”.

Impact created
Launched on August 6 last year, the initiative was spearheaded by HYSEA, TSRTC, & TSIIC in association with Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) and IT companies.

More than 3,50,000 people directly and about 70,000 people indirectly, who are daily commuters participated in the initiative. Upto 41 per cent use private modes of transport remaining 59 per cent use buses, office transport, shared auto, cycle or walk to work.

So net employees using cars is about 40,000 and those on motor vehicles is about 1, 10,000 in Hitec/Gachibowli area. The aim was to reduce these cars by 10-15 thousand.

HYSEA reported that there was visible impact of the initiative. There was huge increase in carpooling, increase in bus ridership, people walking to and cycling to work.

“The initial phase was focused extensively on building awareness and enlisting volunteers. Now the time has come to look at effective mechanism, including PPP model to sustain the movement. The roadmap is already submitted to the authorities,” said Ranga Pothula, President, HYSEA.

“SCSC has been very active on working on road safety issues, ensuring surveillance systems in place, enlisting traffic volunteers, running SHE shuttles to facilitate travel of women employees,” said Bharani Aroll, secretary SCSC.

“Thanks to this campaign, we are now able to facilitate 1,000 plus bus rides everyday through our application and the numbers are growing.

Our startup has been chosen for WRI India accelerator programme,” said Prashant Garapati, Founder Commut, Abuspool application startup.