25 October,2010 08:26 AM IST | | Dharam Dhutia
Two Swedish students believe the two-wheeler could be the solution to city's travel woes
Two Swedish students have come to the city to see if the humble bicycle could be the solution to your travel woes.
Cycling enthusiasts themselves, the students will be drawing up plans to make the city more bicycle-friendly after talking to transport experts and daily commuters.
Lina Hellstrom (26) and Oscar Berjstrom (25), from the Plekinge and Technical University, say they chose Mumbai because it is one of the fastest developing urban centres in the world and nothing on this scale has been attempted in the city before.
Lina Hellstrom (26) and Oscar Berjstrom (25)are trying to set up a cycling network in the city
"While looking at the possibility of setting up a bicycle network in the city, our main targets will be commuters travelling short distances (up to 5 km) to their workplaces or educational institutions" said Berjstrom.
During their two-month stint here, the duo will be meeting transport experts to get a clearer picture of the transportation systems in the city.
Among their mentors is Faizan Jawed, a transport researcher in India. "We are looking forward to meeting all the key people who will help us formulate a workable plan," said Jawed.
They will also be examining the travelling habits of citizens and connectivity to the official hubs.
"We will be talking to daily commuters to find out their travel habits and their opinions on using the bicycle as a mode of transport," said Hellstrom.
Govt support
The duo has divided the task into macro and micro functions with Hellstrom working on an overall master plan for the city while Berjstrom will be selecting a hub to provide solutions for that area.
They are hoping that they will get government support to turn their vision into reality. "Government support is a must for the plan's implementation," said Berjstrom.
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The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), a body that supports projects to reduce world poverty, has given the duo a Minor Field Study scholarship for this project.
