Bengaluru gets first bidirectional cycle lane for safety of cyclists

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The Karnataka Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) has set up a bidirectional protected cycle lane at SK Temple Road, Doddanekundi, the first in Bengaluru. The pilot project on a 500-metre stretch is set up under the Sustainable Mobility Accord (SuMA) initiative along with ‘Sensing Local’ and residents of Doddanekundi.
DULT commissioner Manjula V told The Indian Express: “To improve the cycling lane network and for the safety of cyclists, we have come up with the bidirectional cycle lane. We held a bicycle separator challenge and selected three designs. As a pilot project, the bicycle separator has been set up at SK temple Road.”
The bicycle separator has been developed by a startup Elemental Motor Works. The stretch has been selected as part of the pilot project since children use bicycles on it. “This stretch is being used by lots of livelihood cyclists and children daily and we have to make roads safer for both of them as they cannot drive or have no choice. To avoid two-wheelers getting inside the cycle lane, we tested with motorbikes to decide the distance between the bicycle separators,” officials explained.
Cyclist Nihar Thakkar said that this cycle lane connects two schools along its route and makes it safer for hundreds of children who ride to school every day.
Bengaluru authorities have developed cycle lanes covering approximately 20 km in stretches along Old Airport Road, Central business district and Outer Ring Road (ORR) in the city.
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