TN Cycling Club members have decided to explore the wildlife attractions of the state
Along with the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) and other sponsors, the club has been organising the TN cycle tour, covering 900 km every year
Chennai: They are a special tribe who do not want to give up bicycles. They believe that cycles are eco-friendly, improve health and are a great way to explore pastoral scenes. Over the years, they have been pedaling for a cause.It started as a solo cycle expedition to Mahabalipuram from here by Mr V. Venkatraman of HCL. Gradually, this passion to ride a bicycle transformed into a sort of camaraderie with persons nurturing similar thoughts, and as days rolled on, the fascination for cycling made them realise the need to form a network and thus was born the TN Cycling Club in 2009.
“We were a mere 30-member club then and held informal meetings initially. Now, the membership has increased to 5,500. Of them, nearly 1, 800 are very active and we all have a jolly good time riding,” says Mr Venkatraman. There are about 400 women members too. Mr Venkatraman, or Venky as he is known among cyclists, along with Mr L.B. Suresh Kumar and Mr Vasanth Ramasamy and others formed the club.
Along with the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) and other sponsors, the club has been organising the TN cycle tour, covering 900 km every year. The theme for this year is wildlife and the members have decided to explore the wildlife attractions of the state from Salem this December. Two cyclists from France are expected to join the expedition. Last year’s theme was the eastern ghats.
A road race for a distance of 40 km for both professional and amateurs, time trails, and TCC championships are among the regular activities of the club. “The idea is to promote cycling as a sport and to build endurance among people of all walks of life, though we also take up cycle tours to raise funds for social causes,” says Mr Suresh. The club also conducts heritage trails in and around the city.
Chennai corporation’s decision to introduce non-motorised roads by developing footpaths for pedestrians and cyclists along the city’s arterial streets, with technical assistance from the Institute for Transport ation and Development Policy (ITDP), has enthused cyclists. The ITDP will help the corporation plan and implement a public cycle-sharing system covering 19 square km in central Chennai. The system will have 200 stations and 3,000 cycles.
Cycle-sharing will help improve last mile connectivity from Chennai’s MRTS system and provide a new mobility option for short trips.The ITDP has also completed the feasibility study for Chennai, and detailed project planning is under way for an 80 km stretch. ITDP is working with Chennai Metro Rail Corporation to develop plans for intermodal integration and improved pedestrian access to metro stations.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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