Surat Speaks - Shri Sunil Jain, a leading businessman and an environmentalist suggests cycling as an alternate mode of transportation for Surat.....

Shri Sunil Jain, is not only a businessmen, but he has keen interest in solving the issues of environment. A true environmentalist, with a zeal to solve the issues of Surat, and sharp eye of observation.....!

Pasting his comments, in his own words here for our worthy readers….

This year since President of Chamber of Commerce has given me charge of Environment committee as a core committee member, my interest in environment issues particularly of Surat city has increased. As a result, a road map has been prepared to address short term and long-term issues relating to Air, Water and Noise pollution in the city.

To begin with, plans have already been prepared and implementation started for the plantation in the large area of SIECC Sarshana. Chief Resilience Officer of the city Shri Kamlesh Yagnik, renowned environmentalist Snehil Patel, Director of SAR Shri Rajendra Chokhawala, Shri Ashok Shah are actively supporting the project.

The committee is working as platform for the dialogue between industry of Surat and the city administration for the formulation and implementation of polices relating to environment with lives with sustainable development goals 2030 of UNO.

However I personally feel that cycling should be promoted in the city not only as hobby but also as an alternative mode of transportation and mobility. Some of the areas in Surat has become very busy longest and polluted due to population and phenomenal increase in business activities.

Cycling is amongst the most sustainable mode of mobility having zero dependency on fossil fuels. It has zero emanation and zero environment impact.  As such cycling present an affordable and eco-friendly transport option.

From the prospective of attainment of the sustainable development goals, use of cycle can play significant role in poverty alleviation, enhancement of schooling enrolment and enabling traffic free and cleaner roads. The role of cycling is promoting physical activity and healthy life style is critical in the city. 

By giving positive social and infrastructure support, promotion of use of cycle as an alternate means of transport and mobility is extremely desirable.

Here I would like to share my views on public bicycle sharing projects, which is eco-friendly and can be very cost effective as compare to other possible alternatives.

SMC with support of other interested organization can prepare detailed project report have been done in some other cities like Jaipur, Bangalore and Indore where city administration have created Parking and lending hubs of cycles, where cycle can be provided to willing person of minimal rent and parking facility given in such a way that cycle can be obtained from any hub and can be deteriorated of any other hub in the city.

Locations of such hubs can be selected in such a way that a network can be established transport for point-to-point connectivity of BRTS routes.

Authorities of city administration and SMC can be suggested to launch public Bicycle sharing as per guidelines from the national cycle policy of central govt.

I am happy that awareness in our city regarding cycling and walking has increased in last few years. But it is still as hobby and not as an alternate mode of transportation and mobility with proper social support, awareness and better infrastructure mind set of people can be changed to use cycle as alternative mode of mobility.

So let us start pedaling towards greener, cleaner and healthy Surat with 100RC project......

Sincere thanks, Shri Sunil Jain, an environmentalist with a difference.......

Himanshu (Arjun) Padhya