Greenway is a campaign to promote cycling and other environment friendly practices in Nepal. It is a multi-stakeholder campaign implemented by Cycle City Network Nepal (CCNN), with support of and in partnership with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Lalitpur Metropolitan City (LMC), Kantipur Media Group (KMG), Ncell Axiata Ltd. and IME Pay. The joint initiative with the slogan – “My way is the Greenway” aims to create a platform to promote green initiatives and bring on board institutions and people who believe in promoting sustainable urban mobility, curbing carbon emission, conserving environment and fostering partnership for urban sustainability.
There are different rewards and schemes for cycle users. First, it is a game for your own and city’s health. The rewards are based on the distance (kilometers) one travels by cycle commuting. As the cycle kilometers get accumulated, the cycle user can climb up higher levels, receive badges and at some point, convert the cycle kilometers into cash or redeem it to buy different products available.
The mobile application shall be linked with different physical fitness applications such as Strava, Google Fit from where cycling data shall be retrieved. Anyone with a smart phone can joint this game. Those who do not have smart phones can also join by having their home to work cycle-commuting verified by the employer.
The application will use average cycle speed threshold, distance traveled and other measures to ensure the data is accurate or close to actual. There will be some cross checks, when required, to get the correct ride details and validate the claim made by the user.
The cycle user can cash the cycle credits/kilometers by using “cash your cycle credit” in the cycle app. For those who want to donate the credits to support the operation of the system, they can do so by choosing “donate my cycle credits” in the app. Currently, each kilometer of cycle ride is incentivized with Nrs 3 and this is subject to change depending on availability of resources.
It will depend on the “green sponsors” and availability of resources. In case of limited sponsors, we won’t be able to pay unlimited amount of cycle credits for unlimited period of time. However, cycle users can exchange their cycle credits for different goodies and vouchers.
Anyone, either individual or organization, interested to support/encourage people to use cycling can purchase the cycle kilometers. Initially, UNDP has provided initial funding grant to help CCNN design and launch the campaign and incentivize eligible cycle commuters with cash or cashable coins. Once the application is fully launched, a number of private sector “green sponsors” will be able to purchase cycle credit from CCNN. There will be four different packages of sponsorships available for purchase, ranging from 1 million cycle kilometers to 100,000 kilometers.
The green sponsors of this initiative are those individuals or organizations that sponsor the game by purchasing cycle credits.
The core partners of the initiative are Nepal Government, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transportation, United Nations Development Programme, Lalitpur Metropolitan City, Kantipur Media Group, NCELL Axiata Pvt Ltd and Cycle City Network Nepal.
The other partners of the campaign are Sano Paila, Yeti Airlines, Green Decision Labs & Research and NAXA.
Cycle City Network Nepal is a Non-governmental organization established in 2013. It works in the advocacy of cycling in grassroot level by organizing different kinds of campaigns and events.
Yes, it would be expanded to the other cities such as such in the lower belt of Nepal where cycling is more familiar.
Yes, we would promote other environment-friendly practices in the coming days. Currently, it focuses on cycling and cycle users.