Title - The Hindu : Cities / Kochi : Cycle rally marks Car-Free Day

Several organisations joined hands on Saturday to organise ‘Greenathon’, a 12-km cycle rally of over 100 cyclists in the city.

The rally was organised by the Indian Green Building Council’s Cochin chapter, Cochin Bikers Club, the Society for Engineers and Managers, the Energy Conservation Society and JCI Vyttila, on the occasion of the World Car-Free Day, which coincided with the World Green Building Week.

URGENT NEED

It was flagged off by GCDA Chairman N. Venugopal at Rajendra Maidan. He spoke on the importance of promoting cycling as a mode of transport and said there was an urgent need to conserve energy to protect the environment.

He said GCDA had plans to provide cycle bays wherever possible in the city. Inspector General of Police K. Padmakumar flagged off the second leg of the rally at the mobility hub in Vyttila.

The cyclists rode through the bypass road in single file with placards stuck on the cycles. The rally was received at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium by Dominic Presentation, MLA.

He shared with the cyclists his memories of cycling along Kochi’s roads and over the North railway overbridge soon after it opened to traffic.

B.R. Ajit, chairman, IGBC Cochin Chapter, said the organisation was committed to making a greener community by providing expertise and creating awareness.