Bicycle rental service at Sabarmati riverfront shifts to high gear

AHMEDABAD: If you have visited the Sabarmati riverfront, it is likely that you have seen people cycling along the walkway, enjoying the cool river breeze.
Encouraged by the positive response to the bicycle sharing and rental service on the riverfront, authorities have decided to increase the availability of bicycles. The Sabarmati Riverfront Development Corp Ltd, a special purpose vehicle of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation, has decided to add 300 bicycles to the existing fleet.
“We have decided to add 300 bicycles on the western and eastern sides of the riverfront. Around 200 bicycles will be made available on the stretches between Sardar Bridge and Vasna Barrage as well as Subhash Bridge and Nehru Bridge on the western bank. On the eastern bank, 100 bicycles will be made available on the Subhash Bridge to Ellis Bridge stretch,” an AMC official said.
The official said that cycling has emerged as one of the most preferred recreational activities on the riverfront as it is not only an easy and quick of travelling from one end of the riverfront to another, but also has health benefits.
“We see a lot of enthusiasm for cycling among riverfront visitors. Since the pandemic, we have noticed more visitors showing interest as cycling has cardiovascular health benefits too,” the official said.
The official said that proposals have already been invited. Once a firm is selected, bicycles will be made available on these three stretches.
Sufficient number of bicycles will be made available for various age groups to cater to the demand in a manner that will prevent queuing even during peak hours.
MyByk, the firm which rents out bicycles at the riverfront and other parts of the city, has so far supplied some 3,000 bicycles in the city.
“The trend is growing. We forayed into the eastern Ahmedabad market around four and a half months ago and the response has been good. We have already set up 200 stations during this time and plan on setting up 100 more in months to come,” said Arjit Soni, founder, MyByk.