Greater Vizag To Observe Cycling Day Every Monday

Visakhapatnam: The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) will observe every Monday as “Cycling Day”, encouraging its officials and employees to commute by bicycle while urging citizens to participate voluntarily.

GVMC commissioner Ketan Garg, in a statement issued on Friday, said the initiative is part of the corporation’s efforts to promote sustainable urban living, reduce pollution, conserve fuel and encourage healthier lifestyles.

To support the programme, GVMC is developing dedicated cycling tracks across the city. These include a 700-metre beachfront track near Sagar Nagar at a cost of Rs 2 crore and a 5.2-km track near the Arilova Skill Development Centre costing Rs 3 crore.

The Commissioner said GVMC is working towards transforming Visakhapatnam into a model city focused on greenery, healthy living, eco-friendly transport and heritage conservation. He said the measures are aimed at improving physical and mental well-being while strengthening environmental protection and public participation.

As part of the broader initiative, GVMC is developing 60 theme parks across the city at an estimated cost of Rs 10.97 crore. The parks will be based on themes including nature, adventure, fitness and children’s activities, and will feature landscaped gardens, jogging tracks, yoga zones, play equipment, cultural exhibits, rainwater harvesting systems and solar lighting.

The corporation has also completed a 1.2-km Heritage Walking Track in the South Zone from Poorna Market to One Town Police Station. Developed at a cost of Rs 42 lakh, the track includes signboards, directional indicators and information displays highlighting the historical significance of the area.

Ketan Garg said greenery, health, environmental conservation and heritage preservation are interconnected components of sustainable urban development and appealed to citizens to support the initiatives and help build a “Green Vizag – Healthy Vizag.”