Chennai to get electric, next-gen bicycles in 2021

Chennai

According to Corporation sources, the private service provider, SmartBike, would deploy 500 next-generation and electric bicycles each. “We are awaiting the Chief Minister’s date to inaugurate the bicycles. We have been assured that the Chief Minister would allocate a date after the Christmas holidays,” an official said.

Presently, the city has dockless cycle stations at 50 locations and 500 ordinary bicycles. With electric and next-generation bicycles coming in, additional 100 dockless cycle stations would come in the city.

Electric bicycles could be used both manually and using battery power. The users could ride the cycles at a maximum speed of 20 kilometres per hour.

Meanwhile, the next-generation bicycles must be operated manually but the cycles do not have chains and the tyres are puncture-proof.

“Users can use next-generation bicycles and ordinary bicycles at the same rent, which is being collected presently. However, charges for electric bicycles will be slightly higher. Bicycles can be booked using the smartphone application which is in use already,” the official added.

It may be noted that SmartBike had recently introduced long-term rental plans to attract more users after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the operations.