Bhubaneswar: Mo Cycles are back on track, even though it was hit by the apathy of the civic authorities. The scheme was paralysed after it bore the nature’s wrath as many of the cycles were either missing or misplaced.
Of the 2,000 cycles, around 1,800 cycles are back on track at nearly 300 docking stations. Meanwhile, 400 new cycles have been added to the fleet.
High-velocity winds of the cyclonic storm Fani ravaged the city and threw Mo Cycles from their docking stations. The following day the bicycles were seen lying by the sides of streets near Jayadev Vihar, Master Canteen and Sahid Nagar.
“It’s a relief to see MO Cycles back on track. As a cyclist, I travel mostly on bicycles. It was a sorry sight to see the cycles lying all over the place after Fani, but I am glad the services have resumed,” said Himanshu Rout, the member of a cyclist club here.
After Fani, the citizens were unable to access Mo Cycle and Mo Buses due to the absence of Internet. Mo Cycles are booked via mobile phone apps. So, payment and registration need Internet access.
Although the authorities have left no stone unturned to restore Mo Cycles, the initiative is facing growing indifference from the public. An RTI application filed by Orissa POST found the total number of cycle users was 37,008 in December 2018, but fell to 6,216 last month.
“MO Cycles is a great initiative, especially in a city that doesn’t have good public transport. However, the government has not done much to promote it. The lack of dedicated bicycle tracks is one of the biggest reasons why MO Cycles is a turn off for many,” Rout added.
Mo Buses resume
Meanwhile, 170, out of a total fleet of 190 Mo Buses, have started plying on the 19 designated routes of the city. Due to lack of clarity about routes and poor Internet connectivity, many services were stopped after May 3, and only 70 buses were plying.
Eight buses on Route No: 31 connecting Hi-Tech Medical College and Bhubaneswar Railway Station (Master Canteen) are out of service, but the remaining 182 resumed operations May 15. The other 12 will be joining within a day or two.