Help Park-A-Cycle

The RideACycle Foundation is a non-profit cycling advocacy group which aims to promote cycling for both commuting as well as leisure amongst Bangaloreans.



As part of this, we're rolling out a park-and-ride concept where people may use their cycles from their homes (off the trunk routes) to get closer to bus stops, park them safely there and take a bus. For this, we are requesting apartments, stores and other establishments which are closer to bus stops, shopping centers, etc, to donate 3-5 slots inside their campus for parking bikes and help promote this cause. We will maintain a list of such locations for all cyclists to access.

If required, RAC-F will put up a (movable) cycle rack to enable this.

We will be giving out id-cards for ensuring access control so no unauthorized people enter the premises, and users of this facility will be allowed only with these cards, and only if free slots are available. RAC-F will maintain updated contact details of all id-card holders.

The parking providers will have no formal liability towards the safety of the bikes inside their premises, and users will need to ensure they lock the bikes properly. [Of course, it would be great if we can request the security folks to keep an eye out, especially if these slots are located such that they are near a security post.]

It would be great if you could bring this up with your association, and let me know if we can get this rolled out at your apartment, or a store nearby.

Shooting, but in the dark ?

Beijing has set goals for being more public transport dependent by 2015.

This goal-setting is what I think needs a serious rethink in urban plans. Delhi's trying to improve infrastructure so more and more cars can drive longer distances. Bangalore is - well - executing fast and nicely on a tonne of bandaids without any apparent set of goals and directions - at least not the right ones.

What would I love to see Bangalore shoot for ? Let's say, by 2015....
(These aren't calculated numbers, but more to emphasize the kind of goals we need to shoot for)

• 25% lesser distance travelled in private cars
• 30% increase in trips on cycles
• 50% more commutes by public transport. Integrated ticketing for trains/buses
  
• >50% people need to travel <10>
• Traffic free city core - except for public EVs, cycles, train
  
• 25% reduction is landfill-waste (70% is organic, we can try segregating)
• Revival/addition of raja kaluves for interconnecting lakes that formed a natural drainage chain
• 30% water needs met through rainwater harvesting
• 40% reduction in number of borewells
• At least 10 recharge wells per sq km for reviving the water table
• Revival of 15 lakes
  
• 25% increase in tree cover, addition of at least 10 "mini forests" inside city limits
• 10% electricity through solar/wind sources

There are ways to achieve each of those (and more such goals). Government initiative, legislation, citizen participation, activism, corporate CSR and incentives - there are many tools. But they will yield results if there is first a consensus on a set of goals that is persisted with, and against which "development" is frequently measured. At the moment, its the actions themselves that are considered good enough for a government showcasing itself as a development friendly one. The thrust and direction of the development is immaterial, and often harmful in the medium or long term without any goals driving the activity.

Edit: @sids says "Without such goals, development is self perpetuating". Well put!

Bangalore's train network

City’s traffic solution on track?

Another confirmation of what I've dreamt about earlier! Its heartening to know that people in the Railways have already considered this, and sad to see how its been royally ignored. Perhaps to merely accommodate super-expensive Metro like solutions ? We've probably bought into the glitzy vision of the future too strong, ignoring a lot of easier, practical, less "sexy" solutions. Hence the elevated corridors, and Metro, etc.

Fortunately, the existing rail lines can easily complement the Metro/ORR. Will the government please wake up and quickly demonstrate some wisdom ?

Bangalore Train Commute : More info!

Glifford, who shared the train info with me earlier - responded with a lot of additional info to my earlier post about train commute options in Bangalore - so another entry is probably justified for sharing this:

Thanks Sameer for picking up on what I told you yesterday. I hope many readers of your blog try it out and actually begin using it.

I myself am planning to begin using it.

Well some more details.

Bangalore East <-> Krishnarapuram (one way) is

• Rs. 2 (lower than a platform ticket!!!) on a normal passenger train
• Rs. 24 on a Mail/Express train. Either way

way cheaper and faster than any other form of transport.

Bus fare from Krishnarajapuram <-> Kadabeesanahalli (J. P. Morgan, Prestige Tech Park) one way is

• 20 on a Volvo
• 15 on a Suvarna
• maybe 10 or cheaper on Pushpak or regular class (blue) buses.

Still works faster and cheaper than even the (motor)bike or scooter.

And finally, how do you plan your journey? This is what I do. Some time before leaving, I just check the current train status on:

http://www.trainenquiry.com/PassingThroughTrains_Display.aspx?sel_val=KJM+&queryDisplay=KRISHNARAJAPURM,+KJM+&time=24&name=&code=
(for Krishnarajapuram)
or for others search here: http://www.trainenquiry.com/PassingThroughTrains.aspx

Then plan accordingly considering about 20 mins for a bus ride from my office to KJM. Simple!

Maybe you should update the post with your links. And yes!

These trains are regular up-country trains. Not local trains. But nothing stops us from using them as such as long as we pay the fare and it stops where we want (Mail/Express have reserved compartments which you may choose to use, but not legal).

And yes, IT (or new economy) guys/gals are not the only ones who use it. Many sales people (the credit card types) and courier boys regularly travel to Whitefield station. This is from the conversations I managed to eavesdrop when sitting in these sparsely filled compartments!

Thanks Gliff! Hope to see the utilization of this mode of transport go up!