Latest news with #WorldBicycleDay
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
New Delhi EV policy to be out by July-end: Transport minister
Transport minister Pankaj Singh announced on Tuesday that all bus queue shelters in the city will be revamped within the next 100 days and the new electric vehicle (EV) policy will also be introduced by the end of July after being approved by the cabinet. The announcement comes after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Delhi government completed 100 days in the national Capital. Singh was present at Urban Adda 2025, a three-day conference hosted by Raahgiri Foundation, and co-hosted by GuruJal and International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) India, from June 3 (World Bicycle Day) to June 5 (World Environment Day). HT is the media partner for the event. 'We have already floated tenders and the work will begin soon. Within the next 100 days, we will revamp all bus queue shelters that will have shaded waiting areas, drinking water facility, and sitting space,' he said. Singh said that other commuter-centric efforts are being made to make Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses comfortable and user-friendly while a full-scale route rationalisation is being planned to ensure that government buses can cater to areas across the city. 'The DTC routes were last rationalised about 20-25 years ago and there are many routes now where buses run without any commuters. At other places, last mile connectivity is also a big concern that we are trying to resolve with the Devi (Delhi electric vehicle interconnector) buses. We are addressing all these gaps and will add more electric buses, both big and small. These routes were decided when Delhi was within the Ring Road while the city has expanded far beyond now,' the minister said. He said that all new buses are equipped with CCTV cameras along with GPS to ensure the safety of passengers. While 800 more buses will be added to the DTC fleet by the end of June, over 8,000 new buses are expected by the end of this year, Singh added. About the new EV policy for Delhi, the transport minister said the draft will soon be finalised. 'Experts are working on the EV policy. We will implement it by the end of next month after cabinet approval. I can assure that it will be beneficial for all segments of society,' he added. To recall, the transport department highlighted in the previous week its achievement of the first 100 days of BJP governance and mentioned the launch of Devi bus service. Additionally, DTC is undergoing technological overhaul such as starting UPI and card-based automated fare collection system. Charging infrastructure is also being expanded with over 40 under construction public depots for EVs and a new bus terminal in Narela. In the transport department, AI-based transport documents verification has been initiated and an automated vehicle testing centre was started with a capacity to test over 72,000 vehicles annually. Meanwhile, the minister also presented the draft cabinet note for Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA) and Urban Transport Fund (UTF) that is expected to soon be submitted for approval, officials said. The department has also installed automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras at over 500 petrol pumps to help issuing challans related to pollution and end-of-life vehicles.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
At Urban Adda, experts push vision for human-centric cities
As India's cities grow denser and more chaotic, a fundamental question is taking centre stage: What would cities look like if they were designed for people instead of cars? That idea drove the conversations at Urban Adda 2025 — a three-day national dialogue on urban futures that kicked off on World Bicycle Day at India Habitat Centre. Organised by the Raahgiri Foundation in collaboration with the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and GuruJal, the event was inaugurated by Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya, who urged citizens to embrace cycling as a sustainable and healthy habit. Hindustan Times is the media partner for the event. 'Cycling is the best form of exercise and a solution to pollution,' said Mandaviya, who holds the labour & employment and youth affairs & sports portfolios. Recalling his early days as a member of Parliament, he said, 'I cycled to Parliament daily and was known as the 'cycle-wala MP'. We must shed the notion that cycling is only for a certain segment and turn it into a movement for all.' The minister also launched two books authored by Dr Bhairavi Joshi — Cycling, Children & Cities, and Road to Cycle2School — advocating safe, active mobility for children and youth. The event's inaugural theme, 'Gati & Grace – Mobility, Art & Access for All', focused on building more inclusive, accessible and people-friendly cities. It featured sessions on improving roads, public spaces and transport infrastructure with inputs from policymakers, artists, activists and urban designers. The opening session titled 'The Human Centred Cities: Designing for Well-being, Connection and Sustainable Futures' called for cities to be designed not just efficiently, but equitably. 'A change in mindset is something we are all working towards, but statutory guidelines are extremely important,' said Ranjit Gadgil, programme director at Pune-based NGO Parisar. 'Mandates are needed so that standard urban designing can be done. Then, experts can be brought in to implement these designs.' The session was moderated by Sarika Panda Bhatt of the Raahgiri Foundation. In the second session, experts discussed adopting a 'Vision Zero' approach — aiming for zero road deaths or serious injuries, which can only be possible through proper planning and implementation of rules. Professor Geetam Tiwari of IIT Delhi, in her keynote address, argued that effective enforcement alone would not suffice — roads must be designed to forgive mistakes. 'We cannot rely on individuals to always make the right decision — our roads must be designed to forgive human error,' she said. 'Even if an individual jumps a red light, for instance, an uneven road surface could automatically reduce their speed and lower the risk of a fatal crash. It does not mean we should encourage not following traffic rules, but the infrastructure should be designed in such a way that even if there are people who do not follow rules, lives are not lost.' A subsequent session, 'User Experience, Accessibility and Inclusion by Design', focused on making public infrastructure inclusive for persons with disabilities (PWDs). Four volunteers participated in a short exercise simulating PWD experiences — two used wheelchairs, one was blindfolded, and one used crutches to navigate around the room. Stuti Kacker, former secretary, ministry of social justice and empowerment, said, 'In the early days of the Accessible India campaign, people would ask — where are the PWDs? We realised they're often isolated and reluctant to come out. After 10 years, there's more awareness, but the system is still not seamless and we need to work on that.' Among the panellists was Anuj Dayal, principal executive director, corporate communications, at Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Delhi Metro was among the first public transport systems in the country to incorporate accessibility features such as tactile strips, audio announcements and ramps for elevators. 'The national building code and the CPWD helped us incorporate these additions, but we also consulted activists like Anjlee Agarwal and Javed Abidi,' said Dayal, stating users can call the station master at any Metro station to ask for crutches or wheelchairs. 'In that case, the metro staff guides them to the platform,' he said. He noted that in lifts, buttons are placed at a low height, but acknowledged past complaints that not all lifts had ramps. 'We have tried to take feedback and incorporate changes wherever possible,' he said.
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Health
- Business Recorder
World Bicycle Day: Bicycle best vehicle for human health & environmental protection: CM
LAHORE: 'Bicycle is the best vehicle for human health and environmental protection,' said Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif in her message on 'World Bicycle Day.' She added, 'There is a need to raise public awareness on the importance of adopting cycling culture in cities. If bicycles are still used as a means of transportation in Europe, why not here?' The Chief Minister said, 'By adopting bicycles, health and natural environment can be saved. Bicycles not only save fuel but also give protection against pollution and disease. School and college students should be encouraged to cycle. Students should be made aware of the benefits of using bicycles. Using bicycles should be preferred for a healthy lifestyle.' She highlighted, 'UN has also acknowledged the importance of cycling since 2018 by declaring bicycles as a cheap and environmentally friendly means of transportation. Cycling culture is being promoted for a healthy and safe environment.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
13km cycle rally to promote physical fitness
Prayagraj: Claiming that cycling has five key benefits, including weight loss, reducing stress and anxiety, improving brain function, cardiovascular exercise and saving money, the citizens of Sangam City on Tuesday celebrated World Bicycle Day (June 3) to promote cycling among all age group for physical fitness. A group of volunteers organised a 13 km cycle rally to promote cycling among people of all ages terming it a simple, affordable and environmentally friendly mode of transport that also offers multiple health benefits. Noted environmentalist Ajay Krantikari, who claimed to cover over one lakh km by cycle in the past 20 years, said, "I have been cycling for the past two decades to promote environment conservation, saving fuel, and ending pollution along with better health across the state. " Doctors claim that cycling helps in burning calories and reduce body fat, making it an effective exercise for weight loss. Similarly, short-distance cycling reduces fuel expenses and eliminates the stress of traffic congestion. A senior health expert said cycling is an excellent cardio workout that strengthens the heart, lungs, and muscles, and can reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Besides, regular cycling also helps in releasing endorphins, the 'feel-good' hormones, which reduce stress and anxiety levels.
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Health
- Time of India
On World Bicycle Day, enthusiasts rue lack of key infra to promote cycling
Ranchi: While various groups held various events and cycle tours in different parts of the state capital in the run up to Tuesday's World Bicycle Day, cycle enthusiasts said lack of proper facilities are posing challenges to promote the cause. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Ranchi's Bicycle Mayor, Kanishka Poddar, who in collaboration with FIT India, spearheaded a cycling event on Sunday from Kanke Road to Pithoria Chowk stressed on wider adoption of cycling for daily commute. "During our cycling event, many participants also carried placards not just to create awareness about cycling but to force govt attention on the infrastructural gaps here," he said. "The state govt must prioritise the development of cycling-friendly infrastructure and promote bicycle use through campaigns such as #NoCarShanivar," Poddar said. He added that creation of dedicated bicycle parking stations at all govt buildings, shopping malls, and places of public interest is a need of the hour. Another cyclist Chandrashekhar Kinger, said, "Cycling is a simple, affordable, and environment-friendly commute that can be adopted by every citizen. We request to the govt to designate a few places a no vehicle zones, develop a dedicated bicycle track in the Morabadi area and promote a cycle-to-work culture among public sector units and large corporations among others." International cyclist Gautam Kumar said World Bicycle Day must be celebrated daily as it directly benefits humans and nature by improving fitness and cutting down on carbon emissions .
