BENGALURU: That Bengalureans want their city to be a sustainable, mobility-friendly one is evident from this happy development. A competition to bring in better ideas to make the city more conducive for walking, cycling and use of public transport, has seen a higher number of participants than expected. The challenge, called Sustainable Mobility Accords (SuMA), is an initiative by the Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT). Its popularity has forced an extension of deadline from September 30 to October 7, to enable eager Resident Welfare Associations and citizen groups to fill applications. Requests have been pouring in from registered RWAs and groups who want to participate in this challenge.
With an aim to reboot cycling in the city, DULT introduced the challenge to create sustainable neighbourhoods to come up with ideas and proposals to enable 80 per cent of local trips by walk or on cycles, and 60 per cent of trips outside their respective areas by walk, on cycles, and public or shared modes of transport, instead of private vehicles.
DULT will offer up to Rs 50 lakh each to the 10 best ideas or proposals from RWAs/citizen groups. These 10 will then present their ideas to the SuMA Task Force, whose chairman is the DULT commissioner, to take up pilot interventions in their respective areas.Registered RWA or citizen groups working with communities can participate in the competition. “We have over 40 Cycle Day community partners and expect around 20 applications,” said a DULT officer.
Currently, Changemakers of Kanakapura and the area RWA are looking to participate in the challenge, and have come up with the idea of introducing cycle and pedestrian lanes around Turahalli forest. “We are either looking at separate lanes or closing one side of the road in the mornings to make it environmentally friendly. We may add plants or flower pots on the 11.2 km road,” said Abdul ww, group convener.