A three-year project will come to fruition tomorrow when public cycle parking will be thrown open to residents at 18 places across HSR Layout. The reason for the delay was the civic works being carried out by the BBMP and the flooding issue that enveloped the neighbourhood in the interim.
Be there tomorrow for the inauguration
“It’s a very unique project based on multiple themes unlike any other in the world,” says Shashidhara K of HSR Cyclists Group that won the Neighbourhood Improvement Program challenge in December 2015 that helped create this facility.
Says resident and cyclist Sankar: “It took a long time to realise the project. Running between DULT (Department of Urban Land Transport) and BBMP for paper work and approvals. Hats off to Shashidhar for patiently working towards realising the project.”
Along the way, there were certain changes done to the project. The original plan was to facilitate parallel parking of cycles. But later, it was changed to linear parking as it would cause least inconvenience to pedestrians and the handle bars will not come in the way of movement. “There were 20 spots identified, but two had to be dropped near HSR Club and Mantri Square due to lack of pedestrian walkways,” says Shashidhara.
The majority of the cycling parking spots can be found on 27th Main, 17th Cross, 19th Main, and Agara bus stand. “There is space for 18 cycles at Agara,” says Shashidhara. “The number can go up if private parties decide to come here as well, after they take the requisite approval from the BBMP.”