In the phase 1 of the project, the civil engineering department of the NDMC will link important metro stations, office complexes, markets and tourist places through cycle track routes.

“As part of this initiative, cycles can be taken from any station and deposited at any other. This will benefit small distance commuters as well as the environment. The Mysuru City Corporation was the first city to introduce India’s first public bicycle sharing service in 2016. Even Chandigarh started a similar service in February 2017,” a senior NDMC official said.

According to him, this scheme, which is being done as part of the council’s smart city commitment, will aim at reducing the dependence on the motor vehicular movement in the city and help in reducing pollution level. “Instead of opting for a taxi or a bus, one can take a bicycle from one point and drop it on the next point, nearest to their destination,” he said.

The cycle track route or cycle stations are proposed to be placed in operation initially at the busiest metro stations to provide link with important destinations and office complexes.

In the second phase, the cycle stands will be constructed at seven other metro stations — RK Ashram Marg, Patel Chowk, Central Secretariat, Udyog Bhawan, Lok Kalyan Marg, Janpath and Sarojini Nagar. In areas under the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the stands will be introduced at Bhikaji Complex, Moti Bagh, New Delhi Railway Station, Atma Ram College, National Craft Museum and Delhi Zoo.

“After considering all 15 metro stations in NDMC area and the nearby important destinations and tourist places, the expected number of stands will be around 120 and 80km of road for cycle tracks will be covered,” the official said.

The Delhi Master Plan 2021 has suggested cycle tracks on all roads. In 1998, experts from the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, led by Geetam Tiwari, had come up with a bicycle master plan for Delhi. However, proper implementation is yet to be a reality.

Two cycling projects, Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System along the BRT corridor and DMRC’s stands outside many metro stations, have failed to take off with little interest from people to use bicycles. Metro, however, says the bicycle initiative has found a lot of takers.

“Delhi Metro has cycle sharing facilities at 16 of its stations across the network. Specialised agencies are operating these stands. The facility has become very popular, especially among students, in locations such as Viswavidyalaya,” a DMRC official said.

AnumitaRoychowdhury, CSE executive director, research and advocacy, and head of the air pollution and clean transportation programme, said design challenges acted as hindrance for the previous attempts at encouraging bicycles.