Over a year has passed since the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) laid out an extensive plan for establishing a dedicated cycle track in the Ghodbunder village area of Kashimira, but the project remains confined to paper. Furthermore, the existing cycle track, which runs from Mira Road railway station to Srushti Circle and was inaugurated on January 26, 2021, has been encroached upon by motorists who use it for parking due to the lack of intervention by the civic administration and traffic police.
In September 2022, the civic administration proposed the creation of another one-kilometer cycle track along the 60-meter road adjacent to the highway in Ghodbunder village, near the RTO office in Kashimira. With a budget allocation of Rs. 70 lakh from the government under the 15th Finance Commission, the civic administration initiated the tendering process and selected a contractor for the cycle track project, estimated at Rs. 44.50 lakh. The civic administration has also expressed its intent to build additional cycle tracks and explore options for interconnecting them.
Unfortunately, neither the existing facility serves the citizens, nor has the new cycle project progressed beyond the planning stage at the MBMC, for reasons unknown. Dedicated cycle tracks offer not only a high level of safety by physically separating cyclists from motorized traffic but also contribute to reduced pollution and emissions, promoting the physical well-being of citizens.
In line with the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission, the Union Ministry of Finance has approved the release of Rs. 81 crore for dedicated funding to implement various environmentally friendly projects. The MBMC had outlined plans to electrify public transport under the Electric Vehicle policy of 2021, install real-time air quality index boards at ten strategic locations to monitor ambient air quality, and develop dedicated cycle tracks as a sustainable mode of transportation.
