Bhubaneswar, Aug. 16: To promote green and non-motorised transport, the municipal corporation here is set to develop cycle tracks and pavements along 48km of city roads.
The project will be carried out under the Centre's Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (Amrut).
The city already has 10.5km of major roads with cycle tracks and pavements. The public works department (PWD) will plan out the remaining 37.5km. The department, in coordination with the civic body, will also work towards making pavements continuous instead of it being fragmented.
"With around nine lakh vehicles, including 7.2 lakh two-wheelers, plying in Bhubaneswar, the city badly needs controlled use of vehicles and encouragement to non-motorised transport. This step will help keep the environment cleaner," said environmentalist and founder of Odisha Environmental Society S.N. Patro.
Amrut focuses on pedestrians, non-motorised and public transport facilities, development of foot overbridges, adequate parking spaces, enhancing amenity value of public spaces in the city, upgrading green spaces and parks and recreation centres, especially for children.
Municipal commissioner Krishan Kumar said: "Apart from the new cycle track and footpath, spaces will also be demarcated for bicycle parking as in the West. Twelve more foot overbridges will also be built across the city."
"The department will need around Rs 37 crore to develop the cycle track and Rs 15 crore for pavements. We have begun a survey to identify the locations of the foot overbridges," PWD executive engineer (division-III) Panchanan Mohanty told The Telegraph.
While the corporation will ensure additional infrastructure under Amrut for the city, the ancillary projects will be executed in collaboration with other departments. The cycle tracks, footpaths and foot overbridges will be added by the PWD, while green and parking spaces will be upgraded in collaboration with the Bhuba-neswar Development Authority and police, respectively.
"The Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Corridor will be the 22nd largest urban centre in India by 2030 and the vision document of the comprehensive development plan of the city's development authority has found that the Greater Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Metropolitan area and Jatni-Chowdwar Corridor will have a population of 55 lakh by then. Consequently, the planning for non-motorised modes of transport should start early," said Patro.
No parking zones
The police last week notified 20 no-parking zones across Bhubaneswar. Parking in these places will invite a fine of Rs 500.
