Telangana Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday, September 6, laid the foundation for a solar-roofed cycling track in Hyderabad. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) is developing the 23-km cycling track along the service road of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) between Nanakramguda to Telangana State Police Academy and from Narsingi to Kollur, the minister's official Twitter account said. Speaking on the occasion, KTR said the 23 km-long track would be built in the first phase of the project. It would be completed before the next summer, he said.
Observing that it is not just a cycling track, he said 16 MW of electricity would be produced by the shaded solar panels installed on the 23 km-long track. He said 24x7 CCTV surveillance would be in place along the track to ensure safety. Food kiosks, toilets, cycle parking docks, cycle repairing stations and also first aid centres would also be arranged, he said. Cycle rental stations where cycles would be available for a nominal rent are also being planned, he said. KTR also said tourism would be promoted in the region as the Himayat Sagar and Osman Sagar reservoirs and Anantagiri hills there have a lot of tourism potential.
Earlier this year, the death of a cyclist named Nithin Agarwal in an accident in Gachibowli on New Year’s Eve led to the cycling community in the city calling attention to a lack of suitable infrastructure for cycling in Hyderabad. Nithin was run over by a drunk driver on a road near Botanical Garden in Gachibowli, which did not have a dedicated bicycle lane. The incident had prompted the cycling community to launch a campaign for an overhaul in the city’s infrastructure to highlight pedestrians’ and cyclists’ right to access roads as much as motorists. Hyderabad has a few dedicated bicycle lanes around KBR National Park, Hitex, Hussain Sagar and a few other areas. There is also the Pala Pitta cycling park in Kothaguda, dedicated to cycling enthusiasts.
MA&UD Minister @KTRTRS along with Ministers @SabithaindraTRS, @VSrinivasGoud today laid foundation stone for solar-roofed cycling track in Hyderabad. pic.twitter.com/Qt6w2F7Etz
— Minister for IT, Industries, MA & UD, Telangana (@MinisterKTR) September 6, 2022