HYDERABAD: To promote non-motorised, environment-friendly transportation, the State government has proposed to take up another 46-km-long cycle track around the periphery of Gandipet lake with leisure outposts and resorts on PPP mode, Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) Minister KT Rama Rao said on Tuesday.
Speaking after laying the foundation stone for a 23-km-long cycle track with solar roofing along two stretches of services roads of the Outer Ring Road at a cost of `95 crore, the Minister said as Osmansagar (Gandipet), Himayatsagar and Ananthagiri Hills are in Rangareddy district, there is immense scope for development of these locations as tourist destinations in the second phase.
He said the State government was looking into allowing bicycles inside the Metro trains as the cyclists in the city are demanding that normal bicycles be allowed. He said the cycle track is being developed in the IT corridor so that the professionals could cycle their way to offices. “It cuts pollution and makes one physically fit.”
The track for which he laid the foundation stone when completed, would be open for 24 hours. The proposed cycle track is the improved version of the South Korean model with better aesthetics which provides more facilities like lighting, protection from rain, parking and wayside amenities like food stalls.
The cycle track can be used 24x7 as lighting facilities are provided. It comprises two stretches from Nanakaramguda to the Telangana State Police Academy (8.50 km) and Narsingi to Kollur (14.50 km). The effective length, when covered as a loop, will be 42 km. The proposed width of the cycle track is 4.5 metres with one-metre green space on either side. A crash barrier has also been provided on the service road for safety. Of the 23 km length of the cycle track, 21 km will be covered with a solar roof with an installed capacity of 16 MW.
Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy, Sports Minister V Srinivas Goud, Chevella MP Ranjith Reddy, TRS MLC P Mahender Reddy, MAUD Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar, GHMC Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar were among those who were present on the occasion.