NEW DELHI: Even as Delhi pushes for greener and more efficient urban mobility, electric bicycles introduced as a sustainable last-mile connectivity solution appear to be struggling to gain a firm foothold in the capital.
A ground survey across several Metro stations found that while commuters continue to rely on shared e-bikes for short-distance travel, uneven availability, poor maintenance and limited coverage have significantly restricted the service’s full potential.
From stations with nearly all bicycles in use to others with empty stands or non-functional vehicles, the city’s e-bike network presents a mixed picture of demand and neglect.
At Mandi House Metro Station, one of the city’s busiest transit hubs, 17 of the 20 electric bicycles stationed near Himachal Bhawan Gate No. 1 were in use during peak hours, indicating strong demand among office-goers, students and daily commuters. However, one bicycle remained parked and unusable due to a drained battery.
“I use an e-bike almost every day to reach my office from the Metro station. It saves time and is cheaper than taking an auto,” said 28-year-old marketing executive Ankit Sharma.
The situation was starkly different at Malviya Nagar Metro Station, where only one bicycle was available near Gate No. 3 and that too was non-functional. Auto-rickshaw drivers nearby claimed they had not seen the bicycles there for nearly three months. At Dilli Haat-INA Metro Station, no bicycles were found.
“The bike-sharing service here stopped functioning around five or six months ago. People often left bicycles at random places instead of designated stands, creating problems for pedestrians,” said Rajesh Kumar, an auto-rickshaw driver stationed near INA.
Popular commercial and tourist areas such as Connaught Place, India Gate and Mandi House continue to witness high usage of Yulu e-bikes, especially during evenings. Young professionals, tourists and gig workers frequently use the service to cover short distances.
According to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), pedal cycles are currently available at 18 Metro stations while battery-operated bicycles are operational at 43 stations. However, visits to multiple stations showed only a limited number of bicycles at designated stands. Experts said fragmented management, limited coverage and poor cycling infrastructure remain major challenges for the success of the system in the national capital.