Bhubaneswar, 19th May: On the eve of International Cycle to Work Day, SwitchON Foundation with support from leading corporates in Bhubaneswar like Aditya Birla and Bio Agro Energy Pvt. Ltd takes forward the sustainable initiative of Cycle2Work Campaign. Around 70 corporate houses, Govt. department and PSUs have supported the Cycle2Work Campaign to make it successful in the city of Kolkata, Ranchi and Bhubaneswar. SwitchON will actively engage in providing a year long programme of technical assistance to companies and also the city authorities to make the city safe for cycling and to make companies equipped for encouraging cycling. This can be done by providing a proper cycle rack, changing area, bathing area wherever possible, rewarding programmes, incentive programmes etc. SwitchOn will bring in experts from ITDP and link in Government departments for the Programme to become more efficient and successful.
This initiative aims to encourage a significant shift from motorized commuting to cycling. After the successful onboarding of the companies, the next step will be to register for the National Campaign Cycle2Work.The Cycle2work campaign was started by Institute for Transportation and Development Authority(ITDP) previous year. SwitchON Foundation supports the Smart Cities Mission under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
Vinay Jaju, MD SwitchON Foundation said, “We are really happy to see the response and support from different corporates and institutions for the Cycle2Work Initiative. Cycle2Work is a simple yet effective way in which citizens can contribute to the environmental well being of our plant. Cycling will reduce air pollution and ease traffic congestion, addressing the climate emergency our planet is facing today.”
Mrs. Sulochana Das, Mayor of Bhubaneswar said, “We support SwitchON Foundation’s endeavor to take forward Cycle2Work Campaign and encourage citizens to take up cycling for their workplace. Bhubaneswar has dedicated cycle lanes for the cyclists. Utilization of these lanes would ensure the self-sustenance of it.”
As per National Family Health Survey(NFHS-5), In Odisha around 72.5% of the households own a bicycle which is a pretty good percentage. This gives Bhubaneswar an edge in adopting cycling culture in the city. SwitchOn Foundation will work with the companies that are supporting the campaign and encourage them to support infrastructure in work space and promote sustainable mobility of cycle for work. Building infrastructure in the form of bicycle parkings, showers etc for their employees opting for cycling to work would encourage cyclists to travel and celebrate the spirit of cycling overall.
Ms. Aangi Shah, Senior Associate, from ITDP said, “Cycle2Work is a great initiative that encourages employees to use cycling as a mode of commute – to improve health and support the environment. Many cities across the country have already rolled out the Cycle2Work Campaign – an initiative by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs – such as Silvassa, Rajkot, New Town Kolkata and Surat. As more cyclists use the streets for commute, the city must invest in and create the right systems i.e building safe, comfortable cycling tracks and footpaths which are continuous and connected by a network, planning traffic calming measures for the safety of the cyclists and adopting the right policies to scale up such work.”
Dr. R.Rout, AVP, Corporate Affairs, Aditya Birla Hindalco said, “Cycle to work has innumerable benefits and a huge impact on the environment. Not only can we achieve a healthy and fit body and mind but also we can breathe clean air. We applaud SwitchON Foundation for taking up initiatives for sustainable mobility and green commute. We support the Cycle2Work Campaign.”
Media Dossier
Contact: Vinay Jaju | M: +91 9331178105 | Email: VJ@SwitchON.org.in
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