Cycle on rent now in Imphal
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 29 2011:
Manipur Cycle Club(MCC), a club of bicycle enthusiasts here to mitigate the challenges arising out of urbanization, environmental degradation besides health and economy is all set to introduce cycle on rent facility in Imphal.
"We'll be introducing bicycle on rent facilities at the Kangla Fort for the visitors to promote a carbon free zone at the historic site", Deben Bachaspatimayum, President of MCC speaking to media here today said.
Elaborating on the facility, Ramananda Wangkheirakpam, Vice-President of MCC added visitors who love to see the historic site could get the facility (Rs 10 per bicycle per day) at the three Kangla gates only after the formal launching of the facility on November 15 in association with Environment and ecology wing of the state forest department.
"We're also planning to launch a similar facility at Thoubal bus parking", adds the key functionary of MCC which had been fighting for a cycle lane and parking facilities in Imphal.
"We're also targeting the Manipur University campus" .
Having a total of 1,98,889 registered vehicles of which 1,39,675 are two wheelers, Manipur's transport department receives 35 applications for registration in an average daily.
MCC in collaboration with Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association is scheduled to conduct a 5 day bicycle expedition to important places including Keibul Lamjao National Park in Bishnupur district in the forthcoming 10 day Manipur Sangai Festival beginning from November 21 .
Meanwhile, appreciating the initiative of the just 9 month old MCC, European Manipuri Association (EMA)'s representative Okram Bishwajit who hails from Manipur's Thoubal district headquarters also assured the MCC that they are ready to extend necessary support to bring back bicycles on roads.
"It is estimated that at least 2 grams of carbon could be reduced if one can use bicycle.
So imagine if just 10 percent of India's billion populations used bicycles in the climate change era", says researcher Bishwajit, who works in an Ireland company.
"This is not the end.
The tiny state like Manipur can save at least Rs 5 crores a year if we could introduce bicycles to its just 10,000 populations (Manipur population 27 lakh 2011 census) who usually spent Rs 50 on bus or auto-rickshaw fares a day as their mode of transport" .
Interestingly, those who use bicycles regularly could also reduce their respective aging factors too, he added.
On top of this, introduction of bicycles in Imphal town or university campuses would help in reducing crime rates as criminals hardly uses bicycles while committing crimes.
Let's make Manipur as bicycle capital of the country like Netherlands, the cycles capital in Europe, he appealed.