Cyclists organise road safety awareness campaign in Delhi

New Delhi: Cyclists from different parts of the city organised a road safety awareness campaign at Connaught Place in the National Capital on Saturday and expressed concerns on safety, especially for cyclists and pedestrians.
While talking to ANI, Dalip Singh Sabharwal, Delhi's Bicycle Mayor, highlighted the awareness campaign focusing on road safety. He expressed concern that road safety, especially for cyclists and pedestrians, is often overlooked.
"The awareness campaign is centred around road safety. In today's context, there is hardly any discussion about road safety, especially when it comes to cyclists and pedestrians; they are consistently overlooked. Here (in Delhi) cycling has always been the primary mode of transport. However, in the current scenario, our infrastructure, which claims to prioritize road safety, is mostly centred around cars. In the daily lives of the numerous cyclists in the national capital, who navigate the city's roads, they often reach the heights of hazards, yet they dont become a part of the media. There is a lack of discourse about them," Dalip Singh Sabharwal said.
Cyclist Dhruv Mishra shared his perspective, stating that reckless driving, breaking traffic signals, and going against traffic rules have led to accidents, and many cyclists have lost their lives.
"This campaign is primarily for the road safety of cyclists. We have been cycling on Delhi's roads for 6-7 years, and recently, I have observed a compromise in road safety for cyclists and pedestrians over the past 2-3 years. Many people drive recklessly, breaking red lights and riding on the wrong side. Unfortunately, there have been several deaths among cyclists recently. As cyclists, we feel a personal connection, realizing that I also commute daily on these roads with my bicycle," Dhruv Mishra said.
Lupna Arora emphasized that while cycling is environmentally friendly, attention must be given to cyclist safety.
"While cycling is good for the environment, before implementing it, attention must be given to the safety of cyclists. There should be dedicated cycling tracks for us, and the government should establish rules to ensure the safety of cyclists, preventing conflicts with other vehicles. As we are promoting cycling extensively, both the government and civilians should pay complete attention to it," Lupna Arora said.