Avid cyclist from Guwahati Arshel Akhtar has been named the 'Bicycle Mayor of Guwahati' by an Amsterdam based NGO, BYCS. It is to be noted that he is the second person from the country to be appointed as a Bicycle Mayor.
Akhter has been promoting the habit and benefits of cycling among the citizens of Guwahati and elsewhere in the state.
The NGO BYCS (formerly known as Cycle Space) envision a world where 50 per cent of all city trips are by bicycle by the year 2030. BYCS calls this global vision ‘50by30’.
Akhter's mission is to make Guwahati one of the most Bicycle loving cities in the world. As bicycle mayor, he will be focusing on 3 core areas -
- To promote cycling among young children
- To promote cycling as a preferred mode of transportation for people whose work or education centre is within 5 kms distance
- To help prepare an online repository of cyclists in Guwahati which will be maintained by the local authorities.
With the aim to promote cycling as a medium to commute, Akhtar is planning to host cycling programs in schools and colleges of the city
Arshel is a 39 yearl old resident of Guwahati, and a software developer turned banker. He started cycling to explore the areas nearby Guwahati. Later he became a part of a cycling group called Guwahati Cycling Community, (GCC, the largest cycling group of its kind in NE India).
