ISCL to launch smart bicycle hiring service in city
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 26 2022: In a first of its kind in the state, Imphal Smart City Limited (ISCL), Imphal would be launching a smart bicycle hiring service with a fleet of 100 bicycles, which can be hired by booking through a mobile app.

ISCL is in the final phase of setting up 20 cycle stations in different parts of Imphal city and each of these stations will have a fleet of five to 20 bicycles.

Bengaluru-based agency YAANA is implementing the project.

The agency is implementing similar service in cities like Gwalior and Bhubaneshwar among others under the theme 'public bike sharing'.

The bicycles used in this project have some additional smart features from the normal bicycles.

One cannot simply use the bicycle without booking the service.

One has to download YAANA-Smart Bicycle Sharing app from play store.

After downloading the app, one should book a bicycle and pay the hiring charge upfront.

After that, one has to scan the QR code attached to the bicycle after which an OTP will be sent to the user.

The lock of the bicycle will open after entering the OTP.

According to ISCL chief executive officer Thingbaijam Harikumar, they are planning to launch the service from mid-June.

The project aims at providing a healthy, environment friendly and affordable transport service to the public.

In the initial phase, they will use a fleet of 100 bicycles and each station will have a fleet of five to 20 bicycles based on the customer requirement and population density.

So far, 17 cycle stations have been set up out of the target of 20 stations.

The cycle stations are located at important locations such as market area, hospital and educational institutes.

Cycle stations have been set up at DM College, GP Women's College, TG Higher Secondary School, Ima Keithel, MB College, RIMS and JNIMS.

They are planning to set up stations at Kangla western and northern gates but approval is pending for these two locations.

The hiring cost for one hour is Rs 30 and the cost will lesser for longer period.

There is no need to return the bicycle to the original cycle station one has booked from but can leave it to the nearest station as per their convenience.

The smart bicycles are equipped with GPS and smart geo-fence technology.

Once the hiring period expires or the bicycle moves out of the pre-defined area of Imphal city, it will be locked automatically with a prior alert on the bicycle and the smartphone app as well, Harikumar explained.

Before the formal launch of the service, ISCL is providing the service at the eastern bank of Kangla near Sanjenthong, he added.

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