JAMMU: The Srinagar Smart City authorities have disclosed that the city’s public bicycle sharing project, which became operational in May 2023, has generated a revenue of only Rs 4.48 lakh despite infrastructure and viability funding totalling Rs 13.20 crore.
According to official responses submitted in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly to questions from legislators Shamim Firdous and Mushtaq Guroo, the government has spent Rs 9.06 crore on constructing cycle tracks in the constituencies of Batamaloo, Hazratbal, and Lal Chowk. These tracks are part of larger urban street redevelopment efforts, including the Lakefront Development along the northern foreshore of Dal Lake and the Complete Street projects in Batamaloo and Lal Chowk.
Alongside the cycling infrastructure, the government approved Rs 4.14 crore as viability gap funding to support the public bicycle sharing scheme implemented under a public-private partnership model. Of this sum, Rs 1.2 crore has been disbursed so far. The scheme includes a network of 900 bicycles and 100 docking stations, operated and maintained by a private entity under a five-year agreement.
The public bicycle sharing service was inaugurated on May 20, 2023. From its launch up to the present, the total revenue earned from user fees stands at only Rs 4,48,333.
According to information provided in the official legislative response, the docking stations have been installed across Lal Chowk, Dal Gate, Hazratbal, Eidgah, Chanapora, and Bemina, with the largest concentration in Lal Chowk, Hazratbal, and Chanapora constituencies. These locations were selected in alignment with the Smart City Mission’s focus on encouraging non-motorised transport and last-mile connectivity.
Despite the scale of the investment, the low revenue figures have raised concerns over the viability of the service, particularly in terms of public usage and long-term sustainability.
All financial and project-related information has been sourced from the official replies submitted in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly during the ongoing budget session. These details came in response to the questions asked by three city lawmakers.
