Schoolchildren outpace women in using Kozhikode's Rs 20/hr bicycle rental programme

Kozhikode: A  bicycle initiative launched by the Kozhikode Corporation with women in mind has instead found its biggest users among schoolchildren. The Kudumbashree project, which began last February, was aimed to provide bicycles to women across 10 wards. However, the bicycles are now mostly used by students.

While the project started at Chelavoor and expanded to wards like Marad, Eranhipalam and Nellikode in the city, only a few women have taken advantage of the bicycles for morning rides. In Nellikode especially, the schoolchildren have emerged as the primary users. According to ward councilor Sujatha Koodathingal, funds from the school PTA are being used to provide training sessions for students.

Out of the 20 bicycles available, only four are regularly in use, while the remaining 16 are gathering dust. The Kudumbashree bicycle center in Nellikode has an appointed supervisor, but none uses that facility. Plans are in place to set up bicycle centers in other wards as well, with construction expected to begin soon after the tender process is completed.

The bicycles are priced at around Rs. 7,000 and can be rented for Rs 20 per hour, with a slight price adjustment for full-day rentals. The project has seen success in other wards, and an app-based system for pre-paid rentals and cycle locking is also in the works, aiming to streamline the process.