Context:

• The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs announced the India Cycles4change stage 1 list of awardees.

Details:

• The government has awarded 11 cities with the prestigious title of being India’s Top 11 Cycling Pioneers.
• The award marks the start of the next stage of the first season of India Cycles4Change Challenge where 107 cities across the country came together to test, learn, and scale up different cycling-friendly initiatives.
• The 11 selected cities will receive Rs 1 crore each to scale up their cycling initiatives.

About the India Cycles4Change Challenge:

• The India Cycles4Change Challenge is an initiative of the Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India to inspire and support Indian cities to quickly implement cycling-friendly initiatives in response to COVID-19.
• The Challenge aims to help cities connect with their citizens as well as experts to develop a unified vision to promote cycling.
• In addition to creating extensive cycling-networks through low-cost interventions like pop-up cycle lanes and traffic-calmed or non-motorised zones, cities could launch programmes such as community-led cycle rental schemes that increase the availability of cycles to citizens and promote the usage of cycling through public events and outreach.
• In the longer term, the Smart Cities Mission encourages cities to convert temporary interventions into permanent.
• Cities are encouraged to collaborate with CSOs, experts, and volunteers as they develop and implement their plans. Citizen collaboration will also be a key metric in the evaluation of proposals submitted by the cities.

The Challenge will run in two stages.

• Stage One will run until October where cities will focus on piloting quick interventions to promote cycling and developing a scale-up strategy.
• In October 2020, 11 cities will be shortlisted and will receive Rs. 1 Crore award and guidance from national and international experts to further scale-up the initiatives in Stage Two, which will be held until May 2021.

Who can apply?

• Cities with a population of more than 5 lakh.
• Capital cities of states/UTs.
• Cities under the Smart Cities Mission.

Benefits for cities:

• Through this challenge, cities will be able to implement quick cycling interventions with support from experts and citizens.
• They will also receive guidance on how to create permanent interventions to encourage cycling in their city.

Download PDF