HYDERABAD: Strapline: In an event held in the city on Monday, D V Manohar, the only Indian on the Board of World Cycling Alliance, BrusselsThe World Cycling Alliance, Brussels, spoke about the need to have an International Bicycle Day
DV Manohar, chairman of Hyderabad Bicyling Club and the only Indian on the Board of World Cycling Alliance, Brussels, on Tuesday said “We, the World Cycling Alliance (WCA) and the European Cyclists’ Federation (ECF) have been campaigning for a UN designated World Bicycle Day since 2016. I have contributed considerably through the World Cycling Alliance to convince the UN to have a day dedicated to cycling. The All India Bicycling Federation (AIBF) in association with Smartbike Mobility Pvt Ltd will be organising various cycling events across India on June 3 to celebrate World Bicycle Day, the largest cycling event being in New Delhi.The World Cycling Alliance, Brussels, which has been lobbying for a World Bicycle Day, announced that the United Nations has accepted its request unanimously and declared June 3rd as International World Bicycle Day. The resolution was adopted by a consensus of 193 Member States on April 12, 2018, during the 72nd Regular Session of the UN General Assembly, in New York City. The declaration invites all Member States and relevant stakeholders to celebrate and promote awareness of Cycling on the World Bicycle Day. The declaration encourages Member States to devote particular attention to the bicycle in their development strategies and to include the bicycle in international, national, subnational and regional development policies and programmes.
Speaking to the Media, Manfred Neun the President and Mr Bernhard Ensink, Secretary General of World Cycling Alliance, spoke to the Media over skype and expressed their happiness on the culmination of the tireless efforts over the last two years. Dr. Bernhard Ensink stated “Cycling is a source for social, economic and environmental benefits – and it is bringing people together.
Speaking on cycling in India Mr D V Manohar mentioned that he feels very happy to note that cycling is gaining a lot of momentum in India and will revolutionise the way we move in future. AIBF and Hyderabad Bicycling Club (HBC) along with SmartBike are the spearheading the PBS revolution in India.
Dharmin Dontamsetti, Co Founder of Smartbike Mobility Pvt Ltd who was also present at the event said that Smartbike Mobility started its assembly plant, the first assembly plant for Public Bike Sharing Bicycles in India, recently. The bicycles are assembled in India with components imported from Germany. In due course the company has plans to manufacture as many components as possible in India and import only the critical components from its collaborator in Germany. He further mentioned that the response for the SmartBike PBS System is increasing by the day with more and more people registering every day.