As fuel prices rise, we need to look for other power sources. For this purpose, pedal power in Pakistan can be presented as a solution. But there is a need to establish cycle-friendly infrastructure that will allow people to use bicycles for simple transportation and commuting tasks. As people find it too hard to cope with the frequent increases in fuel prices, cycling provides an inexpensive, healthier and more eco-friendly alternative.
If a programme is launched nation-wide in this regard, it would empower citizens by providing them with a concrete alternate means of commuting from one place to another within a city. The integration of bicycling with our transport system and city planning would ensure that the programme becomes more permanent in future, leading to a safer and healthier society. A pilot project in Lahore in this regard would offer an excellent opportunity to test its pros and cons. And then based on the experience of this pilot project, the programme can be gradually expanded to other cities.
This will be an innovative initiative with enormous benefits. Undoubtedly, a great deal of thinking coupled with proper planning and financial layouts will be required. I request the CM Punjab to start this project in Lahore in the public sector. It will not only provide a solution to the rising cost of fuel but would also largely benefit the less privileged sections of our society.
BASHIR A GILL
Lahore
