KOCHI : While Kochi may not traditionally be considered bike-friendly, there’s a growing trend among city residents towards eco-conscious travel on two wheels. This shift is evident in the surge in users of Mybyk, the public bicycle sharing (PBS) service that has teamed up with Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL). From a modest 9,921 in 2021, its users skyrocketed to 18,136 by 2023. Yet, experts caution that revising policies and enhancing traffic management are crucial to safeguarding the safety of those embracing rides on two wheels and a handlebar.
Mybyk’s monthly ride count now averages 16,878. “We have seen an increase in the number of people choosing to cycle in the city in the last three years,” an official with Mybyk said.
Further adoption will depend on city administration and law enforcement ensuring the safety of riders. Increase in users is a positive trend, says Biley Menon, an architect and urban designer based in the city. “But we need to improve our basic civic sense on roads to encourage more people to opt for non-motorised transport. The city administration should come up with a policy for non-motorised transportation, prioritising pedestrians and cyclists,” he said, adding that a mere 18,000 riders annually won’t make any difference.
A cultural shift is required to ring in changes. Mathew Varghese, director of the Centre for Urban Studies at Mahatma Gandhi University, said that a cultural policy that imagines spaces that are more inclusive as well as multimodal can help. “There is no space imagination from a bicyclist’s point of view in our urban planning. A city design that incorporates the viewpoints of cyclists and pedestrians, along with other initiatives, can increase ridership. It can encourage more common people to use bicycles in their daily lives,” he said.
According to KMRL and Mybyk, the service is popular with tourists, who now account for around 3,000 to 4,000 rides each month. “Tourists opt for a cycle because it is part of their culture. Kochi is very cosmopolitan in nature. Improving infrastructure will help us adapt to this culture, which is environment-friendly. We need more and more ordinary people taking to cycles,” stressed Biley.
Kochi is favourable for cyclists, indicated Mathew. “The city is mostly flat. And we have the banks of rivers and backwaters that can integrate bicycle tracks. The administration is aware of the possibilities and what we need is effective implementation,” he emphasised.