KOCHI: Developed with the intention of encouraging eco-friendly commuting and creating a safer space for cyclists, the dedicated cycling track in Marine Drive and Park Avenue Road — stretching from the BSNL Telephone Exchange to the Ernakulam District Court — today presents a picture of neglect.
Envisioned as a model urban mobility initiative of the Cochin Smart Mission Ltd (CSML), the dedicated lanes are now more often than not occupied by illegally parked vehicles, roadside encroachments and temporary obstructions, leaving little room for cyclists.
During peak hours, the green-coloured corridor is lined not with bicycles, but with parked two-wheelers, auto rickshaws and even cars, especially near the Ernakulam General Hospital. On several stretches, pedestrians are forced onto the track due to congestion on the footpath.
On one side of the road, parking spaces have been formally allotted along with the footpath and cycling track. However, the opposite side has only a footpath and cycle track, with no provision for dedicated parking. Residents and vendors say this has indirectly led to vehicles spilling over onto the cycling lane.
“Cyclists rarely take this route, so people headed to the hospital park their vehicles on the cycle track. I have hardly seen cyclists using it,” says Raju, a lottery ticket vendor who spends most of his day on the sidewalk overlooking the road. Thomas, who has been running a bookshop near the hospital entrance for years, recalls strict traffic enforcement when the track was first introduced.
“In the beginning, officials used to regularly stop people from parking near the hospital. That is no longer the case,” he says.
“Every other vehicle uses this track now — motorcycles, scooters, autos and even four-wheelers. But this is also a government hospital and the OP section is right here. Naturally people look for the nearest place to park. There is also not enough parking space on the hospital premises,” Thomas adds.
Traffic police officers maintain that parking on the cycling track is illegal and action is being taken. “Vehicles are not allowed to on the cycle track. We regularly impose fines. There are ‘no parking’ signboards all along the stretch,” said an officer, requesting anonymity.
Integration must
Unless cycling infrastructure is integrated with proper parking management, awareness and promotion campaigns for cycling and stricter monitoring, such projects risk becoming symbolic rather than functional
