'Young Bengaluru will welcome bicycle-sharing system'

In his budget, chief minister Siddaramaiah said Bengaluru would have a public bicycle-sharing (PBS) system. To get a sneak peek at the project, TOI spoke to Darpan Jain, commissioner of Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), which encourages non-motorized transport. Excerpts:
What's the overview of PBS proposed for Bengaluru?
It will comprise an intelligent transport network connecting docking stations, each of which will have bicycles.People can rent them out to ride between stations using smart cards, and they will be charged based on duration. There won't be human intervention as all stations will be connected to a control centre.
How does PBS help?
It will promote non-motorized transport, particularly for short commutes. Besides offering people last-mile connectivity to other modes of transport, PBS will help tourists explore the city.
Where will the docking stations be?
A survey is on to identify clusters which, if found feasible, will be considered for the stations. The plan is to identify areas across the city where there is demand. Activity hubs like colleges, marketplaces and tourist spots will be considered.
Given its traffic congestion, do you think Bengaluru is ready for PBS?
The young and dynamic city will definitely embrace it. We will bring in the best practices adopted in European countries to ensure its success here. Cycle Day and Open-Street events have already enlightened Bengalureans on cycling. With PBS, we will take that interest to the next level.
Any timeline for project?
A detailed project report will be ready in three months; we are in touch with BBMP, BMTC, Namma Metro, government departments and PSUs. Three months after that, the operator to implement the project will be identified. We need one year to put in place the infrastructure.