PRINCE KUMAR
Ranchi, Dec 17: Poor road infrastructure in Jharkhand’s capital has limited the use of pedal bikes which are installed by the bicycle-sharing company, Chartered Bike with the help of Ranchi Municipal Corporation and Ranchi Smart City Corporation Limited.
With the unavailability of dedicated cycle tracks across the district, the aspiration of promoting non-motorised transport remains on hold.
On the issue of the security of the pedal bike users, Ranchi Municipal Commissioner Mukesh Kumar said that an institutional effort is required from the road transport department, RMC and others to make the non-motorised transport a hit.
“We are trying to develop cycle tracks in Morabadi and RMC is continuously working to make the space available for the commuters but the challenge still remains intact as proper laying is not there for the pedal bike commuters,” Kumar said.
Ranchi Smart City Corporation Limited CEO Amit Kumar said that at present there are more than one lakh subscribers associated with the Chartered Bike which primarily includes students and delivery boys.
“There are 60 docks and 600 pedal bikes at present and we are working on phase 2 in which more 60 docks will be formed with 600 more pedal bikes,” Kumar said.
Talking about the challenge of security among the commuters, he said that dedicated cycle tracks across the city would have definitely provided a boost to the program but still people are using the pedal bikes as there is a shortage of public transport.
“The pedal bikes are affordable and people are using them as they provide the first 30 minutes with no charges and Rs 5 for the next 30 minutes to 1 hour,” Kumar said.
Chartered Bike company was started by Sanyam Gandhi after completing his engineering studies in Germany. He had taken the idea from Karlsruhe in Germany where he studied.
