COIMBATORE: Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has removed the exclusive bicycle lane on DB Road in RS Puram after it failed to go well with road users. The initiative, taken up in October 2021, put other road users to inconvenience as the carriageway shrunk considerably.
CCMC officials told TNIE that the initiative "placemaking" was implemented to streamline the traffic congestion on DB Road by carving out a portion of the carriageway for bicycle movement. "We earmarked the bicycle lane by installing bollards. Though it is not a permanent track, the corporation wanted to test it to check if it goes well with the public."
But, the plan raised eyebrows as several vehicles including four-wheelers were parked on the bicycle lane which left no room for the cycle users. "Apart from vehicles parking on the bicycle lane, some even broke the bollards by colliding their vehicles while parking," sources added.
An official familiar with the developments said, "Across the globe, the first right for using the road goes to pedestrians, followed by bicycle users and vehicle users. With the bicycle track initiative evoking a mixed response, we do not know how feasible it is for the inclusivity of cycling."
To prevent haphazard parking, the official said, the city corporation mulled implementing on-street paid parking on a few arterial roads. Following opposition from a section of people, the initiative has been cancelled. "The multi-level car parking (MLCP) is nearing its completion in RS Puram. The very purpose of the facility will become successful only if the vehicles are not parked on the road," the official pointed out.