Cyclists continue to get a bumpy ride in city as plans derail

For bicycle enthusiasts, the road ahead is rough and risky, say city cyclists. While many a plan has been devised to lay cycling tracks in Mumbai, cyclists point out that the infrastructure, traffic discipline and attitude of motorists towards cyclists on the road leave a lot to be desired.
At a recent conclave on walkability in the city titled ‘Walkable cities: Mumbai conclave 2025’, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani announced that the city would soon get a 7.5-km uninterrupted cycling track. The corridor, meant to offer a seamless ride from Breach Candy to Worli, will run on the promenade being opened up as part of the ongoing Coastal Road project. It promises to be one of Mumbai’s most scenic cycling routes once it is completed. Works are underway to mark a portion of the soon-to-be-opened promenade along Mumbai coastal road from Breach Candy to Worli with green concrete, indicating that it’s a cycle track.
However, seasoned cyclists and regular commuters in the city are a tad cautious. While the idea of dedicated cycling infrastructure is welcome, many feel that cycling in the city continues to be unsafe and unsupported.
Vijay Malhotra, who took up cycling in 2018, says Mumbai is overwhelmed by traffic, noise, and air pollution. A fortnight ago, he cycled to Tardeo to attend a panel discussion on ‘Greening Mumbai’, which focused on making the city more liveable through bold, climate-smart urban greening efforts. At the event, Malhotra pointed out how city authorities often overlook the large informal workforce—from newspaper vendors and milkmen to dabbawalas—who rely on bicycles for their livelihood, saying there is an urgent need to make cycling safer for them.
“Road conditions have worsened over the last five years due to rapid development projects. It’s a city which is constantly under construction which makes pedestrians and cyclists more vulnerable. Cyclists are not shown respect on the road, and are soft targets with high uncertainty for a safe ride,” said Malhotra. Another concern he raised was that the current concretisation project will not provide a good riding experience vis-a-vis asphalt roads which are smooth and do not cause vibrations if built using high-grade material. “Driving indiscipline is another cause of safety which discourages many people from cycling. I have faced five punctures in the last three months and there is always some kind of wear and tear happening on our bikes. Other issues like drain covers and streetlights not working have been reported to BMC multiple times on social media, but things haven’t changed,” he said.
Mumbai has had a chequered history with cycle track initiatives. Cyclists cite the BKC cycle track—once launched with fanfare—as an example of poor planning. They say it was like a piece of floating infrastructure with no integration with main roads or office hubs and existed in isolation.
Tasneem Buhranpurwala, a Mumbai Central resident and homemaker, took up cycling in 2018, two years before the Covid-induced lockdown. She recalls how the easing of restrictions, when roads were still relatively empty, offered cyclists a rare window of freedom. “But cyclists must take responsibility for their own safety,” she said, adding that car, bus and taxi drivers, who dominate the roads, often show little regard for cyclists. “Now that I’m more experienced, I can navigate better. I’ve always found Eastern Express Highway more cyclist-friendly and have even ridden as far as Karjat,” she added.
Another much-hyped cycle track initiative was announced along Tansa water pipeline by BMC. While it offered a long stretch of dedicated space, cyclists say it failed to attract regular commuters as it was in a remote area, not connected to any office district or residential catchment. In areas like Mulund, locals said it’s now barely used with anti-social elements taking over the space during night hours.
Lower Parel resident Mayur Jain, 37, who has been cycling for over a decade, said city roads are relatively safe for cyclists only until 8 am, after which rising traffic volumes make riding risky. “I often cycle from my home in Lower Parel to my workplace in Mira Road, which takes about two hours. But there are times you suddenly encounter a dug-up road, with no information on when it’ll reopen,” he said. Jain believes that authorities should consider marking dedicated cycling lanes, which could also double up as emergency corridors for ambulances when needed.
Bandra (west) resident Naresh Fernandes said that he cycles to work which is in the same locality and to the bazaar, but not for leisure or exercise now. “Motorists here have a feudal attitude and roads are designed in a manner that cars are always moving at a much greater speed. As cyclists, we don’t want a cycle track along the coastal road but should be able to cycle to the office or a nearby store safely,” says Fernandes.
Supporting his point, Malhotra added that for a cycling track to truly succeed, it must align with where people actually need to go—for work, errands, or leisure. “It should be a dense, well-connected network that is safe, separated from traffic, shaded, well-lit, and clearly marked with proper road signage. Cyclists should have the first right of way at intersections and roundabouts where traffic converges. These are basic principles you’ll see in Dutch cities like Amsterdam, Utrecht, and The Hague,” he said.