The event highlighted the critical vulnerability of cyclists and the need for improved infrastructure in the city
The City Magistrate of Gurugram addressed the crowd at a panel discussion held today
Gurugram, December 9, 2022: The city is witnessing “Two Wheels Gurugram”, an event centred towards an urgent cause i.e. the need for improved cycling infrastructure. This 5-day event and art exhibition has been organized by Sustainable Mobility Network, a pan-India network of 20+ organisations working towards sustainable transport & mobility.
In order to spark a conversation around cyclists and their safety, a panel discussion was curated today, which saw participation from influential stakeholders addressing the different points of view, ranging from social and environmental needs to planning, designing & infrastructure, public policy and more. The panel was moderated by Sarika Panda Bhatt, Co-Founder Trustee of Raahgiri Foundation and the panellists included:
Darshan Yadav, City Magistrate of Gurugram
Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Centre for Science and Environment
Nidhi Madan, Director, SAMARTHYAM, National Centre for Accessible Environments
Harpreet Bagga, Partner & Director, Purpose Climate Lab
Kalpana Viswanath, Co-founder and CEO of Safetipin
As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), only about 8 per cent of Indian households own cars and over 50% use bicycles. Most of these bicycle owners comprise livelihood cyclists i.e. individuals who have no other option but to cycle to work. Moreover, air pollution remains a major concern in Indian cities resulting in a public health emergency of massive proportions with vehicular emissions being a significant contributor to urban ambient air pollution.
Cycles are not only a climate-friendly transport option but also more affordable and accessible. And still, cities are planned to keep in mind motorised transportation such as cars, buses and bikes. Cyclists and pedestrians are amongst the least respected road users, often raising concerns about safety.
While developments are taking place with respect to redesigning of road intersections and the construction of cycling lanes, there is still a long way to go. Hence, “Two Wheels Gurugram” has been organized by bringing together decision-makers, CEOs, active citizens, RWAs and civil society organisations in order to initiate conversations around the outlook the city has had toward cyclists, what needs to be changed and how can this change be brought about.
Addressing the panel, Darshan Yadav, City Magistrate of Gurugram stated "Having a vision is the first step to a better-planned city. In order to make 'Two Wheels Gurugram' come to life, we need to recognize the possibilities and then create an ideal vision for it. We should start with identifying at least ten roads in Gurugram that require better cycling and walking infrastructure. Thereafter, we can bring in designers and architects to make viable plans. Visualising streetscapes is just the beginning. Marrying different stakeholders into this cause will help us manifest this in reality. And this model can be replicated by any other city, not just Gurugram."
Adding to this, Nidhi Madan, Director, SAMARTHYAM, National Centre for Accessible Environments said "Planning for a sustainable city should include a multidisciplinary collaboration approach. The design should take into account all stakeholders' perspectives, accessibility and universal design for all, safety, intuitiveness, flexibility, and thermal comfort and address all possible future impacts. If this is done well, we are set to move towards not just a cycle-friendly city but a sustainably planned and liveable city."
Participating in this event is a group of very talented artists, including Seema Singh Dua, Richa Kedia, Hari Krishnan and Nehmat Mongia, who have showcased their artworks, at Museo Camera Centre for the Photographic Arts, Gurugram, depicting the safety needs of cyclists and pedestrians. The art exhibition will be open for a visit until Sunday, December 11, 2022.
Speaking about the event, Sarika Panda Bhatt, the Bicycle Mayor of Gurugram and Co-founder of Raahgiri Foundation, said “We have been working to make Gurugram a safe cycling region for several years. Though there is progress, it is simply not enough. Cyclists’ lives continue to be lost. More road infrastructure has continued to be dominant in the city. It is high time we recognise that there is an abundance of cyclists in this city, and they deserve to move around without fear. The city should focus on moving people. This event is an opportunity to raise our collective voices against this lack of safety, and demand safer and more sustainable transport”.
Mallika Arya, Senior Campaigner, Help Delhi Breathe added “We owe it to every single resident to have and provide safe cycling and walking infrastructure in our cities. Non-motorized transport will not only help us reduce vehicular emissions in the city, but plays a critical role in developing the social fabric of our cities. ‘Two Wheels Gurugram’ is an attempt to leverage the power of art to add to a movement that has been building and brewing in the city for years - a movement to improve our cities, more specifically reclaim the roads by cyclists and pedestrians.”
The two other partner organisations actively working towards this campaign include CultureDrum, a creative think tank founded by Hari Krishnan, and Raahgiri Foundation, a Gurugram-based charitable trust working towards road safety and combating air pollution. These efforts fall under the Sustainable Mobility Network and Help Delhi Breathe, a collective of organisations working across Delhi NCR on air pollution-related issues since 2015.
In a country that accounts for about 16 road deaths every hour, cyclists and pedestrians being the most vulnerable, it becomes important to ensure the utmost safety.
About Sustainable Mobility Network:
Sustainable Mobility Network is a pan-India network of 20+ organisations with an overarching vision to adopt the triple zero approach and push towards ‘Zero Emissions, Zero Exclusion, and Zero Road Deaths’. The network has been active since 2020 and has been working towards creating a more enabling environment for the shift towards clean, equitable, gender-sensitive and accessible transport.
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