In Hyderabad, the country’s first solar roof cycling track was inaugurated by state Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K Tarakarama Rao on 1st October 2023.
This innovative track named Healthway is the second of its kind globally. Located on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) between the main carriageway and service road, the track will be open 24×7, giving a major push to the dedicated bicycling community in the city. It is also a vital step in the direction of making Hyderabad, the active mobility capital of the country. Speaking after inaugurating the track, the Minister revealed plans to set up a similar track in other areas including around the Gandipet Lake and in the Financial District.
The track
The 23-km path has two stretches – a pink line of 8.5 km from Nanakramguda to Telangana State Police Academy and a blue line of 14.5 km from Kollur to Narsingi with five different access points. It is a three-lane track that is 4.5 metres wide, with one metre of green space on either side. The track is expected to become a prime hangout with facilities like ample parking space, surveillance cameras, food courts, drinking water, first aid, and restrooms.
In a bid to make it easier for visitors; bicycle repair shops, along with cycle docking and rental stations and other services will also be made available. A total of 16,000 solar panels were installed to generate 16 megawatts (MW) of power which will be utilised to light up the track at night and provide protection to cyclists from the sun, rain, and other weather conditions.
The nation has embraced this step to health and environment-friendliness with open arms, and voiced the opinion to have similar tracks in all cities.
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