The sensible bike docks throughout the town have now turned defunct and personal automobile customers climb on the platform and park their autos on the cycle bay.
The SmartBike initiative in Chennai seemingly has misplaced its traction, and might hardly be seen by any commuters utilizing it. The eco-friendly autos have turn out to be nothing however a menace for pedestrians to stroll and a free area for auto-rickshaw drivers to park their autos within the metropolis.
As per information given by the SmartBike officers, there are greater than 1,100 bicycles in 100 places within the metropolis and the corporate has been planning to broaden it to five,000 bicycles in 500 places.
The SmartBike customers have drastically decreased post-pandemic; the typical variety of customers has shrunk from 500 to 100. The info supplied by the officers embody that the income earned by way of SmartBikes is presently 1.83 lakh monthly.
Regardless of low footfall and broken bicycles, the SmartBike stands are incessantly seen as a possible parking place by auto drivers, particularly on Sterling Highway, Nungambakkam, and Venkatanarayana Highway .
Kathiravan M, from Triplicane alleged that a number of the residents deliberately vandalize and injury the SmartBikes at night time.