Go Green, Go Cycling !

A group of students from Kathmandu University have started a campaign called "Kathmandu Cycle City (KCC) 2020" aiming to make the capital a bicycle-friendly city by 2020. There are 12 members from different colleges in their core committee, and more than 700 members cum cyclists are on their contact list. 

Firstly, KCC 2020 campaign was supported by Team for Nature and Wildlife, a non-governmental organization working on different fields of environmental conservation. As, the issue of global climate change is an urgent growing issue, a group of Nepali youth have joined hands to promote the use of bicycles in order to save the environment. The organization is working independently to uplift the campaign, Cycle City. The campaign advocates for cycle friendly infrastructures, lanes, stands, renting-buying facilities etc. "Traffic rule should be there for cycle as well, we want equal priority as other vehicle" states Sambriddhi Dhakal, who is the coordinator of the group. Recently the group organized a rally in the Kathmandu university fete, and in the other parts of the valley. "We have seen that since we organized a cycle rally on 21st November, the number of cycle users seem to have increased. It is clear that the mentality of many people regarding cycle users have also been changing" shared Shahil Shrestha spokesperson of the group.

Because of the social stereotypical concept that riding bicycle indicates being poor, the other benevolence of cycling is dismantled. Cycling isn't fashionable among youths in Nepal. Changed mentality of people regarding the cycle and cycle users is the main essence of the campaign. Cycle City wants to see environment and health conscious citizens. Shail Shrestha spokes person of the group states "Nepal is geographically cycle-friendly and that many people especially in the plains (Terai region in southern Nepal) ride bicycle. But the big percentage of the people of the rest region seldom ride bicycle. The main aim of Cycle City is to promote cycling for short-distance travel and commute and at the same time conserve the environment". 

The group recently conducted a cycle rally on the occasion of World Environment Day. The cycle rally this year was aimed at pressurizing the government and the respective bodies to take effective actions on the 44 km long cycle track in Kathmandu Metropolitan City.

Inaugurating the cycle rally, Nepali world cyclist Puskhar Shah talked about the importance of the cycle in regards to the environment, health and economy. Hundreds of enthusiastic cycle users participated in the cycle rally conducted by the KCC group. The group during the event also shared their plans to conduct different sports events like cycle races, cycle festivals and other events to inspire the youths.

But why is the group emphasizing on the daily use of cycle ? Sahil Shrestha answers "Cycle needs no fuel, it is best for eco-mobility; it takes small spaces and can pass even through the small gullies of Kathmandu. It is economical. It is mechanical, i.e. human powered, so, it is less possible to be a cause of an accident. Cycling is second best form of exercise of whole body after swimming."

Cycling is one of the best options to reduce the air pollution. In the context of Nepal, cycling is the best option to ride. It offers a great diversity of terrain with a varied climate from the pleasant scenic rides of the tropical plains of Terai to the subtropical valleys of the middle mountains, to the more challenging Trans Himalayan zones that lie in the rain shadow of the Himalayas. About 48% of Nepal's population lives in the middle mountains, this includes the broad shallow basin of the Kathmandu Valley also.