Soon, the people in Kannur Corporation will be able to have a hassle-free ride on their bicycle in the Army cantonment and adjoining areas, as the work for the first cycle tracks in the district is in the stages of completion.
The cycle tracks are being constructed under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation at a cost of ₹2.01 crore.
With the completion of the tracks, people will be able to enjoy a cycle ride on a 2-km stretch beginning from Prabhat Junction to Sangeetha theatre.
According to corporation officials, since there were several schools in the area, they had chosen the place for constructing the tracks in the Cantonment area. Besides, it would also benefit people who visited the beach nearby.
One of the tracks is between Sangeetha theatre in the corporation area and the Payyambalam Government Girls Higher Secondary School. The distance of the track is 418 metre with a width of 2.20 metre.
The other track from Payyambalam Ursuline School to Prabhat Junction is in the final stages of construction.
But due to the takeover of land by the Cantonment Board opposite St. Michael’s Anglo-Indian Higher Secondary School, the work to complete the track was pending here, said an official.
Though the track was earlier planned to be extended to the new bus stand, due to space constraints it was cut short to Prabhat Junction. The distance here is 2 km and it is 2.20-metre wide. An amount of ₹1.62 crore has been allotted for the project.
Kannur Mayor T.O. Mohanan said that the cycling track would encourage more people to take up cycling. This would also help in reducing the air pollution.
However, the Kannur Cycle Club expressed disappointment over the way the tracks have been designed and constructed.
Kannur Cycle Club president Ratheesan said the tracks were not cyclist-friendly. It will not serve the purpose and will be encroached on by pedestrians as it happened in Kozhikode. Without a guard rail, the track constructed above the road level would pose a danger to cyclists, he said. “Children riding cycles may fall on to the road. This shows lack of planning,” he added.
