The much-hyped public bicycle sharing project launched in Srinagar under the Smart City Mission has raised eyebrows in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly after it was revealed that the scheme has generated a meagre revenue of just Rs 4.48 lakh since its launch in May 2023—against a total investment of over Rs 13 crore.
As per official data submitted in response to queries by legislators Shamim Firdous and Mushtaq Guroo, the government has so far spent Rs 9.06 crore on developing dedicated cycling infrastructure in areas such as Batamaloo, Hazratbal, and Lal Chowk. These cycle tracks are part of broader urban redevelopment plans, including the Lakefront Development project near Dal Lake and the Complete Street initiatives in Batamaloo and Lal Chowk.
In addition to this, Rs 4.14 crore was approved as viability gap funding to support the public bicycle sharing scheme, which was rolled out under a public-private partnership model. Of this, Rs 1.2 crore has already been disbursed to the private firm managing the service.
The scheme, which was launched on May 20, 2023, comprises 900 bicycles and 100 docking stations across the city. Despite this extensive infrastructure, the project has earned just Rs 4.48 lakh in user fees to date, raising serious questions about its utility, sustainability, and public outreach.
Officials say the bicycle-sharing service is being run by a private operator under a five-year agreement. However, critics argue that low awareness, lack of a cycling culture, and practical limitations such as weather conditions and urban traffic may have contributed to the underwhelming performance of the project.
While the concept was aimed at offering an eco-friendly and convenient mode of short-distance travel, especially in the city's congested areas, the figures indicate that it has so far failed to strike a chord with commuters. The government, meanwhile, continues to push forward with its Smart City initiatives, but calls for re-evaluating the viability and outreach of such projects are growing louder.
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