BHUBANESWAR: When the government has started restoring the cycle tracks ahead of the hockey World Cup, the much-hyped ‘Mo Cycle’ initiative launched in the city during the previous edition of the quadrennial event in 2018 continues to languish in a wreck, resembling scrap yards at many places. Thanks to administrative apathy and complete mismanagement, the public bicycle sharing system introduced in the city with crores of investment has failed.
While the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), as part of the city beautification plan for the hockey World Cup, have started painting the cycle tracks, that otherwise remain encroached throughout the year, there is little focus on reviving the cycle sharing system.
Out of around 2,000 cycles in the PBS system, sources said roughly 1,500 are in usable condition.
However, most of these cycles, covered in thick layer of dust, are rotting in open at docking stations due to poor upkeep. Besides, barring certain docking stations, cycles have vanished from number of places including Saheed Nagar, Rasulgarh, AG square and other parts. “There has been no meeting yet on revival of the project prior to the World Cup,” admitted an official from the Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited (BSCL).
He also revealed that the maintenance of the cycle service has been affected due to delay in release of funds to two private players that are managing the PBS service on behalf of BSCL and BMC. There has been no payment towards maintenance of the cycles for the last four-five months, the official said.
With the World Cup event staring from January 13, the PBS system would have been of huge help in promoting public transport. The cycles would have been an easy option for the spectators to ride to Kalinga Stadium. However, it is unfortunate that proper attention is yet to be paid for revival of the system, said urban planner Piyush Ranjan Rout, a vocal advocate for promotion of cycling in Bhubaneswar.One of the general managers of BSCL, however, said that steps are being taken for revival of the PBS project and a meeting in this regard will be conducted soon.