Sunny Dua
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha while speaking in Awaam Ki Awaaz” aired on all primary and local radio stations of AIR-J&K, DD Kashmir and NewsOnAir- mobile application had some time back said and I quote, “Two smart cities of Jammu and Srinagar will have dedicated bicycle lanes to encourage people to avoid travelling in car and other mode of transport to save the environment.
We will declare some areas “car free zone” in both the cities”. This is a priceless decision and will go a long way in promoting a culture that was nurtured in millions of hearts but never saw light of the day.
Ever since cycling as a sport and also as a hobby picked up in Jammu and Kashmir, this had been a persistent demand of cyclists so that they could pursue their sport, take this as a way of life, stay healthy, save cities from emissions of fossil fuel, decongest cities, lessen pollution and above all produce cyclists who could make J&K blink on the map of international velodromes and competitions one day. To cement this resolve, pandemics came as a boon for cyclists and during lockdown sales of cycles also witnessed a steep hike in Jammu and Kashmir which established that the trend has picked up to a next level.
Now that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has said and there will very soon be dedicated cycling tracks in Jammu as well as Srinagar, a beginning has been made for promoting the sport, hobby and of course the need. However, without roping in cyclists and their bodies/associations besides architects and city planners we won’t be able to reach desired goals or do much about the sport which is fast picking up amongst youngsters and veterans equally. While we need dedicated cycling tracks, we also need stands and primarily a velodrome where our cyclists could practice for international events.
Another problem that cyclists face is steep slopes of old Jammu city where ascending and descending becomes tough and even impossible for beginners. While colonies like Gandhi Nagar, Trikuta Nagar and alike beyond Satwari located in plains can definitely provide cyclists a safe and comfortable track, those cycling in old Jammu city need safe and comfortable areas where they can cycle. To cater to their needs, road stretch from outside Amar Mahal Museum right up to Nagrota check post can be developed as a world class cycling track with walkways and sitting areas for elders and children.
Since Jammu city is having connectivity with Nagrota from new circular Panjtirthi, another from Kunjwani By-Pass road and now a ring road is also coming up, this stretch from outside Museum to Nagrota can be exclusively kept for cyclists, walkers as well as children by closing traffic movement on this road. The track, if developed, can prove to be a haven for cyclists especially because it passes through lush green forest cover of Manda. This stretch doesn’t have steep slopes which will be good enough for cyclists to carry on with their practice or routine collective rides.
There are several cycling groups, individuals, associations and government departments besides Indian army and paramilitary forces that are working in isolation and lack coordination between each other thereby wasting the talent by just making cyclists do their rides or participate in events lesser known to the outer world. Despite all odds groups like Women Do Ride of Payal Jain, Jammu Cyclists or J&K Cycling Association headed by Ravinder Singh and affiliated with Cycling Federation of India, J&K Olympic Association and J&K Sports Council are all working in isolation and lack infrastructural facilities to train their cyclists, carry out trials or even make them practice.
J&K Cycling is doing its bit to promote cycling in J&K but the organisation till date don’t have any good place for holding trials or making cyclists practice for international or national events. The body is not even rich enough to provide cycles to the beginners and the sport being an expensive one is almost out of reach of deserving athletes. This is the reason this association manages trials either in the backside of MAM Stadium or at some other places depending upon the availability of spaces. Regarding practice, the cyclists are left to fend for themselves.
It was very recently that Manoj Sinha had said that the government has already decided to have dedicated bicycle lanes in twin Smart cities of Jammu and Srinagar. At present some cycling stands for the commuters are coming up in posh localities from there the users will be able to pick and drop cycles through electronically controlled systems. This, however is something that can reduce traffic congestion, keep citizens fit, become an alternate mode of transport or give people some leisure time but for sportspersons what’s needed in Jammu is a Velodrome where they can practice to prepare themselves for competitions.
Velodrome is an arena for track cycling. Modern velodromes possess steeply banked oval tracks that have two 180-degree circular bends connected by two straights. The straights transition to the circular turn through a moderate easement curve where cyclists practice and even compete. Superelevation of Velodromes allows cyclists to keep their bikes relatively perpendicular to the surface while riding at speed. These areas are designed keeping in view the physics of bending of roads and banking of curves with which the cyclists keep their pace even at 85 km/h.
Despite involvement of physics in designing tracks the Velodrome don’t exactly match given principles for the reason that cyclists’ feet are locked to the pedals and during any halt they might fall. This is the reason banking of tracks is always kept 10 to 15 degrees less than actual physics results. Jammu as well as Srinagar must have Velodromes if J&K Cyclists intend to compete in international matches. Now that both these cities are going to have massive sports infrastructure, Velodromes can be added to the lists to give cyclists a platform to practice and then perform even at Tour-De-France or other international events.
JKCA organises various events at the national level as well as at domestic level in Jammu and Kashmir in which various government departments take part but lack of tracks haven’t let the sport touch another level. When contacted President of J&K Cycling Association, Ravinder Singh said the association has undertaken promotion of cycling as a sports activity in missionary mode and organised National Mountain Bike Championship, Prize Road Race, National Track Cycling Championship, National Road Cycling Championship in Jammu and Kashmir.
Vouching for a Velodrome as well as other dedicated cycling tracks like one at Manda in Jammu, Ravinder Singh said, “We generate awareness about cycling amongst the youth of J&K by holding various cycling events in different districts including district championships and Union Territory (UT) level championships for which a transparent selection process is undertaken but as per availability of space. Even though we don’t have infrastructure for doing routine practices our cyclists as well as trained coaches manage this on a temporary basis either from MAM Stadium or from another place where we don’t meet traffic congestions for the safety of cyclists”.
Despite meagre resources cyclists from J&K have brought laurels by winning medals at the national and international events purely by their hard work, he said adding that cyclists like any other sport need consistency but lack of infrastructure forces them to practice in their neighbourhood or on roads which is not safe. The Cycling Association, he said has put forth this demand of construction of a Velodrome and cycling tracks in Jammu as well as at Kashmir but nothing substantial has come up till date.
He added that J&K has a great potential in cycling as a sport but because of lack of infrastructure our talented boys and girls could not achieve the desired goals at the national & international competitions. All the successive governments have assured to provide infrastructure including Velodromes, dedicated cycling tracks and coaches but nothing much has been achieved in this regard. ‘We are further making efforts to roll in more and more cyclists including women cyclist clubs by granting affiliation to them to promote the sport’, he informed.
Payal Jain, founder of Woman Do Ride said, “Although infrastructure would help boost the sport in context to safety and technical support, not having the support doesn’t mean that one keeps on blaming the government and not participating in the sports”. Changes, she added, never come overnight and we must do our bit in spreading awareness and let that be the motivating cause for making infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir. Payal Jain and her team had been organising cycle rides in Jammu as well as outside the Union Territory (UT) to promote the sport and intends to take the sport to next level with more youngsters joining her group in future.
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