by SAMRIDDHI DHAKAL
Read from WAVE magazine FROM ISSUE # 167 (November 2009)
The jam-packed streets of Kathmandu are sometimes enough to wrack your brains out. Microbuses, or for that matter all four-wheelers seem to have as slow a locomotion as that of a turtle. And with these very vehicles adding to the air pollution, the whole city feels like a stifling gas chamber. Most of the times as submissive, enduring passengers or drivers, we feel we can’t do much to fix this disarray.
A group of youth have been getting busy though, gearing us up to take the initiative to save the city. Finding the answer in cycling, they aim to make the Valley a cycle-friendly area by 2020. Says Basanta Shrestha of ICIMOD/MENSRIS regarding the logic behind this project, “Introducing a cycling culture is a good start that will curb many problems on the roads of Kathmandu.”
The need for a quicker start has never been before; with global warming and climate change topping the debates world wide and with the burgeoning amounts of CO2 and green-house gases causing unprecedented effects. Although some nations are putting their best foot forward to mitigate green house gases and adapt to climate change, other nations are yet to come up with a serious agenda. European countries like, Netherlands and Finland have already come up with the initiative to make their cities cycle friendly in order to fight against the growing level of vehicular pollutions. In the same way, a group of young adults from Kathmandu University, calling themselves “Kathmandu Cycle City 2020 Group (KCC)” have come up with a vision, as their name suggests, of making Kathmandu a cycle friendly city by 2020.
KCC was founded under the Nature and Wildlife and the support of Climate Watch Alliance team by environment conscious youths. With Kathmandu’s escalating vehicles and the pressing environmental issues, the group saw an urgent need to not just act, but act immediately with the trusty, plain-old bicycle.
“The natural terrain of our country is already cycle friendly. The already-existing cycling culture in Terai and the popularity of cycling as an adventure sports elsewhere means that cycle is not uncommon for Nepal,” says Rajan Kathet, Communication Coordinator of the program. “Our aim is to promote cycling for short-distance travel and commute,” he adds.
To kick off the program, the group is organising a cycle rally on 21 November. The aim is to raise awareness and to promote cycling. Says Shail Shrestha, spokesperson for the group, “If the expats and tourists can cycle, why can’t we? We need to change this very mentality.”
But Nepal still has a long way to go. The construction of a separate infrastructure such as a cycling lane and green belt will take time. Changing the overall mentality of people and acquainting them with cycling culture can take time; nevertheless, the members are hopeful. “Everything about cycling is good. All we need is a start,” says Rajan.
While the pros and cons of using bicycles can be debated endlessly, the benefits certainly tally up higher, especially those related to health. Take it from world-cyclist Pushkar Shah, “I drank water of so many countries but I’ve never got ill. All thanks to cycling.”
WHY CYCLE?
Cycling is the most energy efficient form of transportation ever invented.
Cycling is therapeutic and is a great cardio-exercise.
Cycling is cheap.
There is never a problem for parking.
It increases productivity at work.